The Ostiary
by El3v3n
Summary: /YGO: A thousand years ago, a demon named Zorc Necrophades terrorized the Earth. The Kings and Queens of the Earth born races managed to seal him away for what they thought was for good. Yami Yugi x Serenity/Bunny
1. The Old Land

The Ostiary

Kochou-hime

**All characters belong to their respective owners.**

**Story Summary: **A thousand years ago, a demon named Zorc Necrophades terrorized the Earth. The Kings and Queens of the Earth born races managed to seal him away for what they thought was for good. Trouble begins brewing on the horizon again as Fairy Queen Serenity, (or Bunny as her close friends call her) returns to Earth from where the fairies made their peaceful home on the Moon to sort out this mess. She runs into confliction, however, when she's forced to revisit old romantic feelings she had for a certain 5,000 year old vampire…

The Old Land

"_**Why**__ blood you ask? What a peculiar curiosity." Came a hushed voice lost in shrouded darkness. A low chuckle followed as the silhouette of the spoken thoughtfully crossed into visibility granted by moonlight shining softly through the room's western window. Dressed trimly in black; his slim appearance was deceitful of the powerful feats such an ancient creature's body was capable of. _

"_Why not water or the sweet fruit that the Earth provides?" He sounded sarcastic but lushly in baritone. His crimson eyes beamed toward her eerily luminous in the dim allowance of light. Suddenly, his mouth pulled into a cruel smile revealing that which had earned him such a monstrous reputation. She involuntarily shuddered at the sight of his perfect white teeth decorated with a pair of dangerously sharp fangs. _

"_Blood is the same to me as it was 4,000 years ago; the source of all power." He breathed lowly while looming over her with his tall form. The petite woman gingerly reached her hand upwards and entangled her fingers within the former's exotic hair evident of a time no longer in existence. He rumbled pleasantly upon her touch and smirked once more as he met her hesitant gaze._

"_However, I now find its retrieval boring and its taste, while momentarily delicious: a different sort of bland in a never ending stretch of time." The tri-color haired male purred pulling backwards and standing fully upright as the spoken to lowered her hand. _

"_So I suppose if I must have a reason to draw upon its sustenance," he whispered turning away from her laughing, and once again vanishing into the shadows. "Then I'll sink my teeth into another for __**you**__, new Queen of the Old Land."_

_

* * *

_

The golden light cast from the sun shone brightly across a silvery white marble floor upon the breaking of day. It swept quickly past the sheer white curtains billowing softly in the breeze as it illuminated sparkling flecks of dust that were normally invisible any other time of the day. With a loud gasp, the room's sole occupant rose from where she slept upon an enormous bed in a panic. The woman's breaths racked against her ribs as ocean colored irises remained widened and full of fear in the growing light. Slowly, her body began to calm as she relaxed her palms against her seat. Releasing a small chuckle, she wiped a strand of her sleep tumbled and golden hair away from her forehead with the back of her wrist.

"Only a dream," she mused feeling somewhat childish upon reacting with such panic to a harmless nightmare. Yet, something within her felt different. Her stomach tumbled upon a memory; one in which she had sealed to the back of her mind for hundreds of years. Although her thoughts and dreams were often well intentioned and beyond control a wave of ominous change had spread across her. The vague feeling of a warning left her pensive and unsettled.

A soft rapping upon the bedroom's door once again startled the flaxen haired dreamer as she quickly leapt from the bed and reached for a silvery white robe. Hurriedly slinging the shimmering material around and fastening it to her slender form she opened the twin doors at the room's entrance. The man in the doorway with thick brown hair and large round glasses promptly bowed and straightened his royal blue suit upon standing.

"Please, forgive my intrusion your majesty!" He pled with the pink tinge of a blush traveling across his face. The Queen merely smiled as she moved her long and un-styled hair away from her face with a nod.

"It's quite alright. How are you this morning, Melvin?" She asked pleasantly.

"I normally would never disturb you at such an hour my queen, but a message has arrived for you." Confusion etched across the woman's face as she regarded the messenger.

"Is there some emergency?" She asked worriedly.

"No-well, I mean I'm not sure, but I think-" the short man gulped looking both left and right before returning his eyes to her. "I think it's a message from the _Old Land_." He whispered under his breath. The Queen's pale blue eyes widened as a rush of memories clouded her thoughts distractingly.

"Queen Serenity?" Melvin questioned worriedly after a few moments of no response. With a brief shake of her head, Serenity awoke from her trance and returned her attention to the beckoning steward.

"Leave it on my desk in the Lunar Chambers? I'll be there shortly." She requested and timidly shut the doors of her domicile as Melvin took his leave.

After dressing, Serenity the Second, sworn and honored Queen of the New Land Lucere: home to those of true Fae descent traveled into the Palace's Lunar Room where she approached her desk with a certain degree of reluctance. Spying the unassuming envelop a flood of sentiment overwhelmed her senses as her fingers came in contact with the parchment. The simple object tingled at her fingertips exhuming warmth from the Old World's sun. She could almost smell the intoxicating scent of what the atmosphere used to be. Her eyes fluttered shut as she could almost hear, with a whisper on the wind, the sound of softly calling birds and the crashing of waves from a long forgotten sea.

"What was it like there?" Serenity heard a murmur causing her eyes to flash open. At the room's entrance Melvin stood timidly, and immediately dropped his head at her glance. "I'm sorry your majesty. I was born in the lunar atmosphere and have never been to the Old Land, but sometimes I feel myself longing to know what it used to be." The Queen slowly breathed a sigh as she held the envelop firmly in hand.

"When the sun fell from the sky each day, nothing but terror reigned the night." She spoke gravely as the happy light fled from her eyes. "The other creatures of the Old Land turned from the gifts the Earth bore for them to the blood and flesh of each other to satisfy their hunger and desires. As they ravaged the land as they pleased hatred silenced the lovers because no peaceful creature dared wander or sing into the darkness." Melvin hung his head in defeat but perked up upon hearing a small laugh.

"But when the sun rose; the smell of the air and the beauty of all that was uncovered by the light was incomparable to anything else I have ever witnessed." She reassured earning a small smile from the man. "It's normal to wonder about the land of old, because even though this world was created from my mother's perfect and peaceful dream…all beings, no matter what they are, will yearn to be in the place they belong." The Queen finished earning a nod of acceptance.

Turning her attention back to the ominous envelop she maneuvered her fingers at the paper's seal. Wincing at its sharp edge against her fingertip, Serenity pried open the flap and freed the letter within. Blue eyes with the occasional fleck of silver quickly scanned across the fine penned calligraphy.

_Queen Serenity of Fae Lands Old and New,_

_I hope my inquiry has not fallen untimely upon you. My request may come as strange but let me reassure you now that I make it with the most earnest importance. I must beseech your presence upon the hour of midnight this evening at the Gatehouse of Elpis Castle. I am afraid sending a provisional in your stead will not suffice as the matter, concerning the Treaty Eirene, is a grave subject in need of your attention. Worry not for your safety as I guarantee my company as the only other that will be here to greet you._

_ Regards,_

_ Grand Vizier Shimon_

A chill washed over the Fairy Queen as the written human words sunk into her understanding. It had been almost one thousand years since she had set foot in the Old Land and while that last experience had been one filled with its own pleasantries they were minor when compared to the nightmare that had preceded them. Her scattered thoughts of the particular enemy that had once tormented the Earth flashed within her memory when suddenly a sound rattled her attention.

"Mommy!" The Queen averted her gaze looking downward to a petite girl with cotton-candy colored hair pulled into pigtails and two cone shaped buns on the crown of her head. Her red eyes beamed in worry as she pointed toward her mother. "You're bleeding Mommy, you're bleeding!" The girl screeched in terror and clamped a hand over her mouth.

Serenity blinked and turned her eyes to the letter where she noticed a tiny drop of blood at the tip of her finger. A violent shudder traveled her spine as the bright red bead teased a few dark memories of bloodied violence from the depths of her mind. Briefly, she put the injured fingertip into her mouth and when she retracted it the red abhorrence had vanished.

"Just a paper cut my dear. No need to worry, Small Lady!" Serenity said with a smile as she lovingly looked down toward her daughter.

"Ok," the small Princess sighed and replaced her exasperated expression with a wide smile. Putting her hands upon her waist she spun around showing off her beautiful light pink dress that was puffed out and adorned with frilly lace at its base. "What do you think?" The small girl asked sweetly. The Queen smiled as she relinquished the letter to her desk and bent down to meet her daughter's eyes.

"It's absolutely the loveliest dress I've ever seen. Make sure you thank Mina for such a lovely gift at your birthday party this evening!" Serenity reminded. The young girl responded with a squeal of glee as she embraced her mother happily.

"Will there be cake and lots of sweets?" Serenity the Third (or more affectionately nicknamed "Rini") asked hopefully. The Queen laughed happily.

"There will be far more than you'll be able to eat! Hopefully there will be enough left for me too!" She announced with a wink eliciting a giggle from the pink haired girl. "You better hurry to Miss Ami for your schooling today, because the sooner you get your studies done the sooner your celebration will be!" Serenity reminded with a wag of her finger. With a gasp, the now five year old scuttled to the exit of the room and flashed Melvin a smile.

"Happy Birthday, Princess!" He said as Rini scampered off to begin her day. The golden haired Royal watched her retreat with hidden concern and slowly turned her gaze wistfully to the mere piece of paper that held an arsenal of haunting implications.

The day had passed in what seemed to be an instant as the sun left the artificial atmosphere sustaining life on Earth's lone moon. The contents of Shimon's letter weighed heavily on Serenity's mind as she sat before her vanity; carefully fastening precious jeweled earrings to the lobes of her ears. Her strapless cream colored dress, accented with sparkling gold just along her bust, hugged onto the curves of her body elegantly. Moving her attention to the golden tiara she delicately lifted the precious heirloom that had once belonged to her mother and placed it between the two soft buns styled at the sides of her long twists of hair. As her eyes steadied upon her reflection a black swirling haze formed within the shining glass. Serenity's gut wrenched as her troubled blues filled with the vision of a black figure with insidious red eyes and a mouth filled with nefarious jagged teeth. At the side of its head protruded two devil-like horns.

"Zorc," her mouth trembled as an image of the villainous beast from the past formed within the mirror.

"_The Door of Darkness will once again open and release my power into the world," _A booming voice roared in Serenity's ears. Standing from her seat she took a step back; keeping her horror filled eyes affixed to haunting glass.

"_Human hearts have birthed my shadows where they will cloud the heavens with their blackness once more! I shall flood the Earth with terror…you cannot hide; I will destroy you, __**all of you**__ for what you've done to me!" _The monster screeched in hatred. Serenity yelped and spun around when she felt a hand fall upon her shoulder.

"Gee whiz sis, it's just me!" a male voice sounded as the Queen focused her eyes upon her fair haired and hazel eyed younger sibling. Quickly turning her gaze back to the vanity she froze upon seeing the image had now disappeared. "Hey, you alright?" Turning her gaze back around she quickly relaxed.

"Yes, sorry Jou. You scared me!" She breathed earning a laugh from the tall Fae Prince. A moment later their first cousin Minako, a fair haired and beautiful woman dawning an elegant golden gown entered through the French-style doorway of the Queen's chambers hand-in-hand with the girl of the hour.

"Mommy!" Rini yelled in delight running up toward her mother. "Look what Uncle Jou got me for my birthday!" She cried happily extending her wrist where a delicate silver bracelet adorned with diamonds was clasped. Queen Serenity smiled as her brother knelt down and brought the Small Lady happily into his arms.

"Nothing but the best for my little girl!" Jounouchi, who went by Jou for short, said with a goofy laugh that elicited a blushing smile from the Princess. Serenity was in a daze as she regarded her small family. Jou, her much younger brother by almost a hundred years, had grown handsome over time. His masculine square jaw denoted his maturity but his brown hued eyes, inherited from their father, held a certain degree of mischief as the Prince was known to be a bit wild at times.

"Everything alright, Bunny?" She heard Minako voice her nickname and shifted her gaze. "You look like you've just seen a ghost!" The blonde said with a laugh. Serenity nodded her head and plastered on a smile, albeit still shaken from the occurrence that happened just moments before.

"Oh yes Mina. I've just had a long day today. That's all." She reassured and turned to the birthday girl who had now been set on her feet. "Let's go to the ballroom. Shall we?" Jou straightened his sport coat as they exited into the Palace hallway. Turning back to Rini where she walked holding her mother's hand he grinned and gave her a thumbs up.

"How 'bout we find me a pretty girlfriend tonight Rini. Whatd'ya say?" Rini giggled as the elegant Queen shook her head.

"You've given up on Rei I take it then?" Mina asked with a raised eyebrow. Jou sneered toward his cousin and readjusted his jacket haughtily.

"She'll come around one of these days." He muttered as the foursome entered the ballroom with a chorus of cheers from the guests within.

The Royal birthday celebration progressed heavenly with dancing and enough sweets to cause a cavity epidemic. Serenity played her role properly, chatting with the members of her court as her daughter and the Palace visitors had a merry time. Even with the pleasant smile on her face, the Queen's mind turned back and forth between the incident at her vanity and the letter from Shimon, the keeper of the treaty between the Earthly races. Although the thought of the demon Zorc Necrophades being free to once again wreck havoc terrified her; a very different memory of the Old Land swarmed the very front of her mind even though she tried her best to banish it.

Exiling his name from her lips and avoiding all Earthly encounters for the past one thousand years would never be enough to erase his burning crimson eyes from her recollection. If he in fact was not the oldest creature to haunt the Earth at nearly 5,000 years of age he was arguably the deadliest. The man who was once a warrior King in his mortal life had earned the distinction of a ruthless and powerful killer beyond it. She had witnessed, first hand, this unique prowess of his when she and the other Kings of the Earthly races had worked together toward a plan to banish Zorc Necrophades, a demon out for the destruction of all creatures indiscriminately, for what was supposed to be forever. With all the stories and terrifying attributes attached to his name one single truth rang to her of the most importance.

This creature, one in which the bravest men would preferably slit their own throats before facing, had once been unshakably and irrevocably in _love_ with her. She had often wrestled with herself on whether she truly returned his sentiment, because in the truest form of irony he was her race's most lethal enemy. He and the members of his kind ruled the night and although they combed the darkness primarily for human blood he had admitted to her that the neck of a fairy was even far more delectable. The one, who went by Yami informally, was better known by the masses as _Nosferatu Rege_, the Vampire King and the closest to one that would ever be.

"Rini, we have a surprise for you outside!" The blue-eyed Mina called happily catching both the Queen and Princess' attention. Following the pink-haired girl to the balcony she pushed her conflicting thoughts to the back of her mind as she smiled upon the girl's enamored face.

"Wow…" Rini beamed as she stared in wonder at the beautiful pink and white fireworks that lit up the sky. The young Princess laughed happily as her closest family surrounded her. "Thank you, everyone!"

"Happy Birthday, Rini." Serenity said softly to her daughter as the light show's finale sparkled excitedly into the night.

As the evening finally drew to a close, mother and daughter bid everyone goodnight. After Rini had changed into her white sleeping gown she crawled into her bed and awaited her mother to turn off the light. Gently blowing out the candle at the girl's bedside, Serenity leaned down to place a kiss upon her only child's forehead.

"Sweet Dreams, little one." As she turned to leave she paused upon her daughter's voice.

"You're leaving tonight, aren't you?" Rini asked quietly. Whirling around she caught the Princess' eyes in shock.

"Don't be silly. Where would I be going?" She asked as her daughter sat illuminated in the light that reflected from the blue Earth outside her window.

"To the Old Land." The bubble gum haired girl said anxiously gripping onto the covers around her. Serenity's mouth dropped open as she re-approached the bed.

"How…?" She began as she met the girl's sad gaze. Kneeling before the Small Lady she placed a hand onto hers. "Rini, I must go somewhere tonight but I'll be back before you wake." She reassured in absolute confusion. "Who told-" She was interrupted as the girl sat up quickly.

"Mommy, _when _you go to the Old Land-" Rini paused for a gulp, "will you see any _vampires_ there?" She whispered. Serenity's eyes flew open.

"No, no vampires." She said with a shake of her head. With a quiet nod, the girl laid back down in her bed.

"Ok Mommy, I won't tell anyone." the girl replied as she yawned and shut her eyes. Staring at her resting form for a few minutes in complete bewilderment the Queen finally stood and took her leave from the room.

Upon entering her own quarters she was again startled by the sight of her cousin Lady Mina, leaning against her vanity with crossed arms.

"So, when were you planning on informing me of this?" The tall blonde asked while mockingly waving the white envelop that had traveled from Earth before her. Narrowing her eyes, Serenity took a step forward in an attempt to snatch the message away only to be thwarted as Mina crossed it behind her back.

"You're going through my affairs now? Isn't that treasonous?" She bit angrily as the woman merely glared back at her.

"I could smell it the moment I came within a few feet of your office. Any creature born in the Old Land would have known…" she trailed as she handed the simple piece of paper back to the Queen. "I will go in your place." She announced bravely as Serenity responded with a shake of her head.

"You read the letter. Shimon requested my presence in the stead of a substitute." She threw her hands up in exasperation. Mina placed her hands upon her own hips indignantly.

"How is this any different than sending a representative for you as usual to report on the treaty's status?" The Royal cousin squeaked.

"I'm assuming you _did _read the letter?" The blonde Queen asked with a raised eyebrow. With an agitated sigh, Mina marched to the Queen's closet and pulled two white cloaks from where they hung.

"Then I'm going with you!" She announced tossing one of the garments toward her queen. Serenity grumbled under her breath as she fumbled the catch.

"I guess I don't really have a choice?"

"Nope!"

With a little magical expertise, the two blonde cousins snuck away from the Palace and traveled to a particular spot upon the Moon's surface. Hidden beneath her white cloak, Mina held a finger to her lips and blew on it softly until it began to radiate a glowing pale yellow. Standing on her toes she traced a dome shaped doorway in the air and took a step backward.

"Obviam modo!" Mina said aloud cheerily as the traced area began to resemble water with a rippling appearance. As the Fae Queen took a step forward she suddenly paused as Mina opened her palm and in a flash of light a long sword appeared in its sheath attached to a leather strap. Serenity looked worriedly toward her companion from beneath her hood.

"Is that really necessary? Shimon did assure me he'd be the only one to meet with me." The Queen protested as Lady Mina swung the magical stone sword she had named the "Holy Blade" upon her back.

"I think in all these years of peace you've forgotten why we fairies live on the Moon in the first place." Mina remarked darkly and with a nod from Serenity; they entered into the portal.

Upon entering the foggy darkness that embraced the Earth Serenity's senses were overwhelmed with a longing familiarity. Although she enjoyed the scents at her nose and the cool breeze that caressed her face beneath her cloak her feelings were dominated by fear. The Old Land when covered in darkness held uncertainty and terror in all that remained unknown and hidden within it. To feel fear in the absence of sunlight was a feeling naturally ingrained within her and all fairies alike. With a deep breath, Serenity extended her hand and formed a tiny ball of light in her palm as the two traveled onward to the pale outline of the Castle of Elpis in the near distance. Upon finally reaching the grand Castle's gate, the two gave each other a questioning glance.

"You're not worried about-" Mina paused, "running into tall, dark and handsome are you?" Mina said expertly avoiding a particular name.

"Please, Mina." Serenity pled as she vanished and materialized inside the enormous enclosed building beyond the massive gate.

"Right," the Lady grumbled as she followed her queen in suit, "see, speak and hear no evil."

As the two reached to lower the hoods that hid their faces, Serenity spotted a man of short stature with spiky gray hair and a tall blue cap worn upon his head.

"Hello Shimon," Serenity called softly as her light orb evaporated in the candlelit foyer. The petite man quickly turned. His mouth promptly fell open as his amethyst eyes widened.

"Dearest Serenity," he breathed in wonder; a few drops of moisture gathering at the corners of his eyes. He rushed toward her and held her delicate hand in his as he looked upward to her blue-eyed gaze. "Dare I say you are more beautiful than ever before and as elegant as your mother." He whispered sincerely. Pain swept through Serenity's expression at the mention of the late Queen as he relinquished her hand.

"Ah, Lady Mina," he said in somewhat annoyance as he cast his gaze to Serenity's cousin. Mina narrowed her eyes toward the old man. "I somehow knew you wouldn't trust her with me alone."

"Don't take it personal. Our sovereign means everything to me and the Fairy people." The Lady announced proudly. Shimon laughed heartily and brought Mina into a surprising embrace. Smiling, the woman returned it.

"Yes, yes I do understand. It is good to see both of my Fairy champions once again." Shimon broadcasted proudly.

"Not to sound rude Shimon, but what grave circumstances have you called upon our company for?" Serenity asked worriedly. As the Treaty's guardian opened his mouth to speak the second and Western door to the Castle's Gatehouse swung open and a valiant silhouette strolled into the enclosure.

"Shimon!" The voice called boldly as the figure crossed into the candlelight. Serenity's eyes flew open wide as her eyes filled with a tall man dressed in black armor and a long cape at his back.

"Endymion?" Both Mina and Serenity asked aloud in unison. Quickening his pace, the young human King approached the small group.

"Queen Serenity!" He announced in excitement as he approached and happily placed a kiss upon the beautiful fairy's hand. She couldn't help but blush as his vibrant blue eyes met longingly with hers. "It's so lovely to see you. I still often think about I and my court's visit to the Moon a few years ago, thank you again for the invitation. Your advice and wisdom has been invaluable for my Kingdom." He said joyfully as he returned her hand. Grand Vizier Shimon dropped his gaze to the ground as he felt a certain blonde's glare upon him.

"I'm glad to see the meeting I arranged proved to be fruitful." The short and gray haired man said softly and grinning toward the human King.

"Endymion, what are you doing here?" Serenity asked in confusion. Endymion blinked and looked to Shimon who again turned his gaze to the ground with a low whistle.

"I was just about to ask you the same thing. I never thought I'd see you visit Earth!" He said charmingly with a smile. Suddenly, a flash of gold from a small gated window to the Fae Queen's right caught her gaze and a loud rumble of the ground's surface followed. A few booming steps were heard from outside as both fairy women turned quickly around to the Eastern gate where the steel doors went flying open with a loud crash against the stone walls. Mina gripped onto the handle of the sword of her back reflexively as Serenity's mouth fell open at the gigantic golden skinned dragon that boomingly strolled into the enclosure.

"Shimon it's been years, old friend!" The great Dragon King Ra spoke jovially as he suddenly came to pause. Endymion quickly drew his sword and took a step backward as the mammoth creature focused his widened red eyes onto the two fairies.

"Mina, Serenity!" The great dragon announced in complete and utter shock.

"A dragon!" Endymion hissed.

"It's alright King Endymion; lower your sword and we'll discuss this as promised." Shimon reassured as Endymion reluctantly pointed his weapon to the ground.

"Shimon…" Mina condemned in a low decry. The Fae Queen quickly turned her gaze to the shorter man as her mouth dropped in pure anxiety. Feeling her gaze upon him, Shimon lifted his sheepish purple-hued eyes to meet her afflicted scrutiny.

"No," she begged in absolute panic.

"I'm sorry, Serenity," he responded simply and turned away from her. The Lady and once warrior Mina quickly unsheathed her Holy Blade as a loud howl sounded from outside the now opened Eastern gate.

"God damn it Shimon! How dare you order me here in the presence of that _cretin_!" An enraged masculine voice shrieked as he stormed into the enclosed Castle Gatehouse. The tall, lean looking man bared his teeth and flung his short brown hair in anger. He suddenly came to a stop, sending his gaze immediately to Ra who looked astonished upon him. His eyes grew wide and his mouth clicked shut as he shifted his eyes toward the two fairies where Serenity kept her back turned to him as she stared in horror upon the guilty Shimon.

"Not him," Serenity whispered in vain as her plea fell upon silence.

A dark and unholy laugh from her back sounded just beyond the gate entrance that sent an icy chill along her spine. Echoing footsteps clacked into the silent air as Serenity felt her insides wrench in apprehension. Her body trembled as she remained frozen in place; daring not to move.

"As amusing as it is always to see you, Seto." A deep and blackened voice echoed into the cavern. "I must share his sentiment in not wanting to be in this close proximity to such a vile creature. Honestly what could have-"the suave sounding man paused in deadened stillness as the sounds of his impending steps came to a halt.

"Good evening, Yami," Shimon said slowly as thick and silent tension spread about the room.

"Serenity?" The vampire asked in a guttural whisper. Looking toward her shaking hands, she somehow found the strength to move as she quickly whirled around. Her long flaxen hair followed elegantly around her cloaked body as her gaze met with a pair of surprised and widened red eyes.

* * *

Hi all!

So, this is a new story I've thought up/been working on (*not* the sequel to Electrum-keep in mind!)

Consider this to be like a "Pilot" I'm not sure what you all would think about reading a story like this. It's obviously very "alternate universe" but I've based a lot of my ideas off of the canon ones.

Let me know what you all think-I'll probably use your feedback to decide whether this is worth finishing or not!

If there are somethings that aren't clear yet I'll be answering more questions about what happened in the past as the story goes on. But if you have any questions or concerns, just ask and I'll answer if I can!

Thanks,

Kochou-hime


	2. Treaty of Eirene

The Ostiary

Kochou-hime

**All characters belong to their respective owners.**

Treaty of Eirene

The frosty night breeze rolled in silence through Elipis Castle's gatehouse where its visitors remained still in bewilderment of the present company. Serenity felt as if she had been cast into a block of ice that ever so slowly began to melt with the building erratic beats of her heart. Her attention remained unyieldingly on the newest arrival whose form dimly showed in the light given off by fire lit torches adorning the walls. His crimson colored orbs shone unmistakably, almost ethereal as they appeared in the dully lit cavern.

Her gaze filled of a body that had been frozen in time. Although old enough to be considered an Earthly relic he appeared the same to her as he had one thousand years previously; an awe-inspiring attractive creature that could pass for a human male in his mid twenties to those who weren't wise enough to know better. The vampire sported a tailored red coat over his all black clothing where its high collar stopped just below his square jaw and the golden streaks of hair framing his angular face. The remainder of his locks jutted upwards in an oddly black and hazy red hue that stood out contrastingly against his non-vampire-esque bronze colored skin. To say that the one called Yami was atypical compared to other vampires she had encountered in the past was an understatement as she knew him to surpass the defining limits of normalcy in every single way. The foreboding silence that accompanied the onslaught of visual memory attacking the Fae Queen was suddenly shattered.

"Shimon, this is not acceptable!" Mina stretched and grabbed a hold of Serenity's wrist as she kept her sword drawn across them. All eyes flashed to the Fairy Queen's cousin as her own troubled blues met earnestly with Serenity's. "We'll use the Enchanted Moon Dust. It will get us back to the Moon in seconds but we must act quickly!" She hissed quietly in a language unique to the Fae.

"Wait!" Shimon hollered as he let loose an exasperated groan. "Serenity, I apologize for deceiving you but if I had been candid about who was invited to attend this meeting it would have been impossible to get you all in the same place at once!" Mina shuffled her feet; her eyes begging the Queen to agree to her escape plan but Serenity was silent as she tossed her tormented gaze upon the Castle's Grand Vizier.

"I for one would _love _to know the reason behind the importance of being on the same continent as this wretched blood-sucker!" Seto, the longest living and most powerful werewolf known to stalk the Earth, growled with an accusing finger toward the man with tri-colored hair.

"Vampire…" Endymion whispered in horror as he glared daggers in Yami's direction. Knowing she shouldn't in that it would only further exacerbate her situation; Serenity couldn't help herself as she once again settled her gaze upon the alluring blood drinker. His expression remained the same. The creature known best for his terrifying reputation completely disregarded the comments of the other two men as he stared upon Serenity in complete astoundment with his mouth slightly ajar. With another annoyed grumble, Shimon earned all eyes upon him when suddenly, with a wave of his hand a large, leather bound, ancient looking book appeared from thin air and fell into his arms. Hastily tearing through the book's pages he stopped upon one that lit up in a pale and golden light.

"Almost one thousand years ago you all signed this treaty," Shimon howled while pointing to the page with four scribed names, "in which one of its specific statements includes that there will be _no_ injury or assault carried out on any signer _by _a signer while in the confines of Elpis." The short man drew in a deep exhausting breath. Serenity blinked as her eyes fell upon the page where the unique signatures stated their respective names in their own depiction. It was hard to believe she had signed the ancient page so very long ago.

"Does the gatehouse count as being within the Castle Elpis' walls?" Seto bit sarcastically. "Because I would really love to take the head of the _Vampire King _back home with me as a consolation prize for this royal waste of my time." He spoke his title scathingly as it was no secret to anyone that werewolves and vampires were notorious for not seeing eye to eye. The relationship between Yami and Seto went well beyond that level of despise. The threatened shifted his gaze to his rival and displayed his exaggerated incisors in a wicked smile.

"Go on right ahead and try, mongrel," Yami spoke with a tone as cold as ice, "I could use another wolf-skin rug to keep all the others company." An enraged howl ripped through Seto's throat as he revealed his own sharp teeth in a snarl. His eyes glowed white as two canine brown ears appeared from beneath his hair and a long fur-covered tail extended from beneath his coat. Dagger-like black claws shot from his fingertips as he settled his glowering and infuriated gaze upon Yami who stood still with a widened smirk. Serenity clamped a hand over her mouth in horror as she watched Seto transform.

"You savage heathen!" Seto screeched into the restless room. "You're dead!"

"For heaven's sake!" The roar of the gargantuan Dragon King sounded toward the pair. "Will you two ever stop this nonsense? Impetuous fools." He thumped his tail in anger so heavily it sent a violet shockwave across the stone laid floor. Serenity, even though she had over a thousand years practice of poising elegance, was still naturally clumsy and lost her footing as the quaking ground sent her flying backward. Shutting her eyes in preparation for impact she suddenly snapped them open once more in shock of feeling her body cradled in another's arms. Turning her head she met a second pair of blue eyes as Endymion stood fully from where he knelt to catch and hold the blonde woman.

"And just what are you planning to do about it Dragon? You signed that damned treaty as well!" Seto snarled toward the golden Ra who merely narrowed his eyes.

"Are you alright, Queen Serenity?" The handsome dark haired King asked in worry as he gazed down upon the petite fairy. At the sound of her name, the amused vampire turned his attention from the snarling Seto toward Serenity's direction. Noticing the human for the first time as he held the Fae Queen the first indication of fury burst from the dangerous man in an audible rumble. His ruby red eyes hardened upon the pair as he made no effort to conceal his glare.

"And just who in the hell are you?" He demanded in unbridled rage leveling his stare upon the man who carefully lowered Serenity to her feet. The ebony haired human quickly stepped beyond the fairies and Shimon as he drew his sword.

"Endymion, don't!" Shimon warned as the King stopped a few hundred feet before his vampire counterpart.

"I am Endymion, the one true King to humans in lands both small and great." He announced triumphantly as he held his large sword before him. Yami raised an inquisitive eyebrow as he regarded the man just a few inches taller than he.

"Human King?" He asked visibly puzzled.

"You truly do find yourself too good to pay any attention to the changing world, don't you?" Seto asked with a growl. "_King _Endymion here rules from a grand Castle on the shores of Elysion," he sneered upon his title. "You've caused quite a lot of trouble for my kind. I won't forget it." Seto warned further piquing the curious vampire. Endymion straightened boldly.

"We humans have come together united where I will lead them in defending our race from creatures like you," he said shifting his eyes upon Seto. "All of you!" He announced as he looked to both Yami and Ra. Shimon began roaring in protest to this confrontation but was ignored as Yami shifted his gaze to Ra and to Seto eliciting an amused chuckle from the three powerful Kings. Mina once again moved closer to Serenity and begged with her eyes for their escape once more. Worry flooded the overwhelmed Fae Queen as she watched Shimon argue to them aloud in vain.

"Your words are so audacious for a King so young," Ra finally said in Endymion's direction. "Threatening any of us is not in your best interests." He warned with a low growl. The human King merely snarled.

"Now, come to think of it," Yami spoke darkly earning the courageous man's undivided attention. "I don't recall you ever putting _your_ signature on the Treaty Eirene…" he trailed thoughtfully as he tapped a finger amusingly against his own temple.

"Yami, don't you dare-" Shimon bellowed but was cut off when Endymion's sword went clattering to the ground. The tall human King fell to his knees clutching his head as he cried out in pain. The eerie glow of a peculiar eye shone on the statuesque vampire's forehead as he shook his head in a pitied fashion. Serenity's eyes dilated in horror as she watched Yami assault the un-formidable Royal with a mysterious dark power.

"Stop!" She shouted as her cry fell upon no response. Gritting her teeth she tore away from Mina's side toward the men. Hurriedly rushing past where Endymion wailed in pain she closed the space between her and the ancient vampire. With an outburst of passion that rallied from the depths of her consciousness she reached out and gripped upon the folded flaps of fabric on Yami's open jacket.

"Stop this." She pled; finally capturing the man's cold crimson eyes. His gaze transformed upon her as a silent smile crept onto his once apathetic features. "I'm begging you." She whispered and promptly the shining eye on his forehead disappeared.

Taking advantage of their position, Yami stepped closer toward her as a mere inch of space was all that vibrated between their two bodies. Breathing in deeply, he drew in the scent of her hair and with a pleased smirk he descended his mouth to stop before her ear. Steadying his eyes onto Shimon's disapproving gaze as he helped the human King stand Yami let a puff of breath escape that sent a shiver up Serenity's spine.

"Since when must you beg of _anything_ from me?" He asked in a throaty whisper.

"You better hurry this meeting along." Mina spoke coldly as Shimon stood beside the recovering Endymion. Tossing her gaze to where Serenity and the Vampire King stood she frowned. "Before irreversible damage cannot be undone," she finished quietly.

"Alright!" The elderly Shimon wheezed and pointed to opened doors into the old castle. "To the Great Hall with all of you so we can get this over with before you all destroy each other." He grumbled as he pushed Endymion in front of him and followed him into the entryway. Relaxing her grip, Serenity slowly lowered her hands from Yami's jacket as his cool gaze watched hers in interest.

"Thank you," she steadied her voice formally as she spun on heel and walked toward Mina who sheathed her sword and stepped through the great entrance alongside her.

"Hmmm," the vampire purred humorously as he studied her retreating form. The colossal dragon suddenly was enveloped in a pale light as he shifted his size to a smaller one; now only just twice as tall as a human.

"It's a pleasure to see both of you well old friends," Ra greeted finally toward Yami and Seto in the now calmed atmosphere, "but as always, I would have rather not met with both of you at the same time." He remarked dryly as he too slinked within the castle's door. Yami couldn't help but release a low chuckle at the old dragon's remark. Shifting his laughing eyes upon Seto he held his flattened palm in gesture to the door.

"After you, dear friend," he invited, sarcastic with his endearment, with a fanged smile. The Wolf King snarled.

"Fuck off." He bit earning a raucous laugh from the ever entertained Yami. With a widened grin he strolled into the castle with Seto bringing up the rear.

The blonde Queen's eyes lit up in wonder as she took in the ancient and enormous castle dimly lit with candles and torches at such an hour of night. Serenity's nerves were far too strung at their wits for her to feel tiredness although it had been several hours since she last slept. A small smile crossed her troubled expression as a much more compact than typical Ra strolled up along her and Mina's side.

"The both of you look well." He said pleasantly; his almond shaped red eyes seemingly smiling toward the two fairies. "You know what they say: the best ones grow even more beautiful with time!" He remarked kindly. Both women laughed as Serenity placed a delicate hand against the dragon's cool skin as they followed Shimon toward the Palace's main room. The dragon rumbled happily at her touch.

"Thank you Ra," Serenity's voice rang sweetly as she retracted her hand. All creatures of the Earth were naturally attracted to the true Fae. Their well natured disposition coupled with ethereal beauty was generally guaranteed to catch the attention of almost any creature. The fair haired cousins displayed these enchanting qualities to the highest degree even though Mina currently appeared tempestuous as she focused her concerns on protecting the Fairy Queen.

Finally, the small group entered the Great Hall, a room so large and ceilings so high that their footsteps echoed in their approach. At the back of the room, a large round table crafted from gray stone was surrounded with basket filled fires where it was elevated on the hall's dais. Everyone selected their seats strategically in the uncomfortable looking stone chairs.

Serenity and Mina, before sitting side by side, removed their cloaks as the fires provided both warmth and light to the room. Shimon practically shoved the bewildered and still recuperating Endymion into the seat at Serenity's left as he sat down exhaustively beside the King. Eyes blazing with annoyance, the now fully humanoid Seto sat rigidly on Minako's right. Ra fluidly swept the heavy stone chair away with his tail as he largely occupied the space between the werewolf and the last vacant seat. Shimon's eyes shone toward the Dragon apologetically.

"Not a problem." The great Dragon chuckled cheerily as he rested on his hind legs. Yami fluidly slid into the chair on the Vizier's right as the old man relinquished the heavy book to the table's surface.

"First and foremost," Shimon spoke as he shifted his amethyst eyes around to those seated at the table, "I'm getting too old to deal with this nonsense."

"Really?" Yami moved his hands behind his head and lounged back in the heavy stone chair with ease. "You don't look a day over a hundred and four." The vampire charmed in a low bravado. Serenity's eyes snapped to the source of the entrancing voice and her attention was immediately drawn to the fabric beneath the man's red coat. The pull of the black garment with the upward stretch of his arms made the vampire's well muscled chest apparent, and painfully so. Quickly averting her eyes, Serenity tinged pink when the illustrious King regarded her with a wink.

"In all seriousness, this is a matter that must be discussed tonight." Shimon said. To the untrained eye, the Grand Vizier of Castle Elpis, who remained its resident even though the place had been long been abandoned, appeared as a normal human. In truth, he was a powerful wizard that was still formidable in his craft even in his old age. His magical abilities and longer than normal lifespan had been bestowed upon him at birth as Shimon was half demon. Although he was well over a thousand years of age he was by no means immortal and therefore couldn't be keeper of the treaty forever.

As far as Serenity knew, pure blooded fairies, true demons and vampires were the only creatures who were functionally immortal, meaning that they would live on forever unless they chose to surrender their own lives or had them taken by another creature. Dragons such as Ra were known to live for thousands of years but eventually their bodies would disappear into dust at great old age. Both humans and werewolves had remarkably short life spans, so much so that it almost seemed tragic. Seto was an odd exception to this fact as he had been awarded his eternal youth long ago, but that was an entirely different story and one in which the powerful werewolf would probably never forgive Yami for his involvement.

"But first, let us ensure the terms of the treaty have been upheld," Shimon suggested while resting his elbows upon the table. "Seto?" The werewolf narrowed his piercing blue eyes as he stared toward the Vizier.

"Two thousand dragons, fifty million fae, two hundred million humans," Seto smirked widely as he shot a quick look to the reclined vampire, "and three thousand blood-suckers," Yami merely chuckled darkly as a sinful smile spread across his face.

"Well Shimon, if you would have wrote me that this evening would be _this _entertaining I would have come yesterday." Yami said with a gleeful glance to the old man. Shimon merely groaned as he scribbled into the large leather bound book. The remainder of those seated at the table held stringent poker faces except for Endymion who appeared positively confused. Leaning over toward Serenity he reached out and placed a hand upon her bare shoulder.

"What's going on; numbers?" He whispered toward the Fae Queen. Serenity turned her attention to him in surprise glancing at his hand and then to his gaze. A weird feeling washed over her as a dark presence nearly choked the air from her lungs. She could visualize Yami's seething and death promising gaze upon this current interaction perfectly within her mind without having to turn to look.

"As one of the requirements in this treaty the signers are required to enforce a certain level of peace between their fellow races." Shimon answered as Endymion retracted his hand and regarded the Vizier still appearing baffled. "The number of cross-race fatalities has limits as they were agreed upon in this treaty," he continued. Endymion's eyes widened as he shot his eyes toward the Werewolf King.

"Two hundred million human murders?" He asked in disbelief. "I hope that is over the past thousand years?" Seto lifted the right corner of his upper lip into a snarl.

"We report every one hundred years." He snapped and pursed his lips. "And usually _just _to Shimon." He added tossing the treaty keeper a snide look who responded only by shifting his attention to Ra.

"Ah," The dragon spoke as he cleared his throat, "approximately of course: two million wolves, 15 million fae, Serenity," the dragon paused catching the Fae Queen's zoned out attention, "dwarves have become overly territorial over the past century I'm afraid otherwise there wouldn't have been so many-"

"Ra, just as if you were only speaking to me, no explanations are required. Please stick to the report." The Vizier sighed over his quill pen.

"Ah, my apologies Shimon," the great beast rumbled. "Three million humans," Endymion nearly leapt from his chair but paused upon a warning look from Shimon, "and, yes, I believe: zero vampires." Ra finished with a nod. Turning his exasperated gaze to Yami, the vampire regarded him with an amused smirk. Leaning forward into a straightened posture he moved his hands into his pockets.

"Let's see, hmm," he spoke thoughtfully, "zero dragons; I have yet to come across a vampire who has taken issue with such a creature," the bronzed skin vampire mused earning a nod from Ra. "three hundred million of those from fae descent; half bloods of course since we all know that the true fairies live on the Moon," Yami sang with a mild hint of resentment in his voice as he flashed the statuesque Fae Queen a look from across the table. "And, oh yes, two hundred million mutts and one _billion _humans." The color drained from the Human King's face as Shimon silently scribed within the bound treaty.

"Does anyone else find it convenient that Yami here reports the maximum allowance for humans and wolves every century?" Seto growled furiously as his icy blue eyes bore into the Vampire King.

"We're very precise," the vampire spoke politically.

In truth, referring to Yami as the "Vampire King" was somewhat false. While most likely the oldest and most powerful vampire to thrive on Earth he knew very little about others of his kind and if Serenity was to hazard a guess he most likely didn't care to. A vampire's motive for existence was a mystery as they were often antisocial even amongst their own and from what she had observed had little interest in anything but acquiring blood. They were also notorious for excessively seeking out sexual activities with humans especially as they, like the fae, were impossibly attractive to other creatures. But unlike fairies, vampires took advantage of this trait by often luring their prey into vulnerable positions where they could consume them with little effort.

In many ways, Serenity knew Yami to fit the bill of what he was supposed to be and peculiarly he was at the same time a very different sort of creature entirely though she had and currently still debated whether or not this was true. The four of them, leaders of their race of sorts, had been forced to cooperate with one another in order to stop Zorc's reign of terror upon the Earth and not a one of them could contest they would have been able to seal the demon away without the vampire's aid. So, whether his treaty report was accurate or not made little difference as there was no clear way to enforce the powerful vampire's behavior otherwise. Although it hadn't been explicitly tested, Yami was the oldest and likely the most powerful of the four.

"Alright, the next order of business-" Shimon was interrupted as the Fae Queen snapped of her stupor and politely cleared her throat. "Serenity?" he asked with a blink of his eyes.

"King Diamond of the elves has contacted me several times staking his claim of Old Land Fae. Perhaps in the future you should seek his council on affairs such as-"

"I couldn't give a damn what that man says," Shimon interrupted with a grumble earning a sigh from both Serenity and Mina, "_You,_ daughter of Serenity the First are the Queen of the Fae and their Lands no matter where you choose your residence and that's what it shall always be." He said finitely. Nodding solemnly she lifted her gaze suddenly swelled with emotion.

"While I cannot speak for the elves, dwarves or other fae that still live on this Earth," she swallowed hard as very unwelcome memory swarmed in her head. "I must also report one human death." A deadened silence spread across the room as complete surprise was worn upon the faces of the observers. Even the typically unreadable Seto widened his eyes in disbelief. Fairies were known to be truly peaceful creatures. It was against their beliefs to harm anything be it animals or their own kind. It was preposterous to think any fairy was capable of killing a human and certainly not for a good reason.

"Shimon," Endymion spoke earning the man's attention. "There was an incident with one of the servants that came along with me on my visit to the Moon. His death was an accident in which I hold her majesty in no way accountable."

"I was unaware Serenity answered to a _human's _approval" Yami's voice seethed across the table. He appeared absolutely monstrous; bristled in anger with fangs bared his red eyes appeared like they could draw blood as they tore into Endymion.

"What happened Serenity? Did this human attempt an attack on you or another?" Ra asked in complete concern. The Fae Queen's face further filled with distraught when Mina quickly jumped to her aid.

"I don't recall any of the others being asked to defend each one or any of the killings their kind was responsible for." Mina snapped as the well-meaning Ra appeared remorseful. A blackish feeling overwhelmed the Queen eliciting her to send her gaze in the vampire's direction. While his furious focus was settled on the human she could feel his dark power trying to break into her mind. She assumed he had already probed Endymion's thoughts searching for an answer to Ra's inquiry, but he was out of luck because the Human King had not been present for the encounter. Serenity narrowed her eyes as she held the barrier into her thoughts and memories firmly. The fairy was well aware of Yami's tricks and she'd be damned before he broke into her brain that easily.

"One human is well within the agreed upon limit. Your forgiveness is neither needed nor appropriate Endymion so if it's alright with the rest of you I would like to move on." Shimon shouted as tensions still remained thick along the great round table. "Unless any of you object, I would like Endymion, as the King and representative to the humans to sign this treaty and designate the responsibility to uphold it amongst his human brethren accordingly. Also, in the meantime I will be searching for my replacement as its guardian."

"I object," Yami barked defiantly as he stared down the brazen human Royal.

"Alright," Shimon said with a growl. "Then we'll vote. Who all is _not _in favor of Endymion signing the treaty on behalf of the humans?"

"Me," Yami spoke venomously.

"I as well," Seto agreed. Waiting briefly for anyone else to speak up, Shimon shoved the book and quill toward Endymion.

"Since the vote is a tie, as the tie breaker I vote in favor of his signature." Shimon announced. Endymion appeared reluctant at first but quickly signed the page under the Vizier's hardened gaze.

"Is that everything?" Mina asked impatiently. She was more than ready to drag Serenity, willingly or not, back to the Moon before any more fights could erupt.

"There was just one more matter I'd like to discuss," Shimon's voice rang ominously as he shifted his gaze to Endymion.

"A couple months ago, a four hundred man battalion of Elysion's army went missing on a routine venture." The human King spoke quietly as he stared at the table. "When the search party finally found them," Endymion swallowed hard in a manner that sent a chill across Serenity's skin. "All that remained were their bones still dressed in the armor they had departed in." The Fairy Queen's heart skipped a few beats as her mind clouded over with the terrifying memory from earlier that evening.

"Zorc," The blonde choked in a whisper as she stared into table before her. Mina gasped at the name and Seto's neck popped loudly as he snapped his gaze to Serenity. All eyes fell upon her including Yami's widened blood-red irises.

"Perhaps you're jumping to conclusions," Shimon spoke quickly. "It could have very well been a different demon."

"Or a dragon," Ra urgently supplied, "I knew a particular dragon from my youth who would eat humans whole and then spit out their bones." He added with a nervous laugh.

"With armor bearing skeletons still intact?" Seto demanded furiously as he banged his fists into the now trembling stone table.

"I saw his face." Serenity spoke again ignoring all glances from the room; focusing all her attention on Yami's concerned gaze. "In the reflection of a looking glass," her voice trembled as she spoke toward the silent vampire. "He said the Door of Darkness will open again and that he'd destroy all of us for what we did to him." She finished hauntingly. Mina's jaw dropped open as a solitary tear slid down her face.

"But, Bakura…" Mina trailed as she voiced the name of their fallen companion.

"We all made sacrifices in going after Zorc." Seto lashed out at Mina's comment. The Lady whirled her infuriated gaze where her blue eyes clashed with another pair.

"And Bakura forfeited his life!" she howled zealously toward the wolf. Serenity kept her terrified blues locked onto Yami's stare. Even though he would never display it for all to see; Serenity knew without a doubt the vampire had mourned the loss of his antagonistic companion who had ventured the Earth with him for over four thousand years.

"Yami," The great dragon called softly and earned his silent gaze. "You would know better than the rest us."

The vampire closed his eyes as he contemplated the situation. Ra's statement rung true; although Serenity, Mina, Yami, Seto, and Ra had all played a role in sealing the powerful demon away the Vampire King had been the only one to do it twice. While Yami had once informed Serenity that the sealing of the horrible creature almost five thousand years in the past had played a role in the transformation of both Yami and Bakura into vampires the details of what exactly had happened that day were hazy.

"One beat of my wings will peel flesh from men's bones ... one breath from my lungs will burn bones to dust." Yami's eyelids slid open as he quoted the demon from his past. Shifting his gaze about the table he settled on Serenity's horrified eyes. "The only way to be sure he's not once again free is to wait and see or check the gate."

"Then we will check the gate," Ra spoke loudly, "We will all go, just as we did one thousand years before."

"Perhaps it would be best to give everyone a few days to put their affairs in order. The journey is after all not a short one." Shimon suggested. With a ghostly silence, Shimon and the Royals exited through the Castle into the outside world.

"You'll be bringing reinforcements with you this time?" Seto demanded harshly as he stepped up beside the two fairies just outside the gatehouse.

"We really haven't had the chance to discuss it." Serenity replied glumly.

"Plan on it then," Seto spoke gruffly just before he quickly took off into a run and darted out into the woods.

"Mina, could I have a word?" Shimon called to her in the dark night as the Lady pulled on her cloak and approached the Vizier. As Serenity watched her step away she heard footsteps approach her from behind. Quickly pulling her own cloak over herself in the chilled air she turned to face Endymion.

"Serenity," he breathed, "I'd like to go on this journey in your place." The King said with a polite bow. The Queen blinked.

"Endymion-"

"Your safety shouldn't be put at risk. I'm well trained in the art of battle and better suited for such a journey-" The man's explanation was cut off when he heard a dark chuckle approach from behind. When the Human King's eyes filled with the form of the vampire he took an intelligent step back and away from Serenity.

"Oh you'll be going on this journey. You signed the treaty, didn't you?" He asked menacingly; eyes nearly glowing in the darkened night. "Welcome to the club." His bravado rang dripping in sarcasm.

"I should be going," Endymion said nervously and turned to leave pausing once more at the vampire's chuckle.

"And Endymion, in case you were curious there is a reason her majesty Queen Serenity must absolutely make this quest to where Zorc was trapped," Yami spoke casting his crimson gaze upon the petite fairy. "As she is the only one who has the power to seal the door," without turning to look back; the Human King approached his horse and road into the night.

"He means well," Serenity finally broke the silence between them.

"Do you prefer him?" Yami questioned seriously with an eyebrow raised. Serenity laughed melodically as a small smile crept onto her face.

"Not in the manner you're suggesting." She spoke gently; feeling a wave of peculiar security wash over her in the presence of a man so deadly.

"Good," the vampire resonated with a smirk, "because I'd hate to have to kill him as it would violate Shimon's precious treaty." Serenity frowned disapprovingly.

"He's young, rash and inexperienced. I was once like that too." She spoke in memory.

"I remember," he commented richly as his intense red eyes regarded her. Now over a thousand years of age; she had been only just shy of a hundred when they had last journeyed to defeat Zorc and knew very little about the Earth and its inhabitants.

A cold wind chilled her skin almost ominously upon their impending journey. The demon Zorc was guilty of many crimes to countless creatures, but of the most heinous he had been responsible for the death of her parents, the previous Fae King and Queen. Serenity's eyes glazed with moisture at the memory and shivered when a warm hand clasped onto hers.

"Getting to Babylonia is nearly impossible," Serenity spoke to the vampire who looked entrancingly upon her.

"Making it one of the best places for a creature such as him to be kept," Yami remarked dryly as his longing gaze upon the fairy spoke his desires aloud.

"Even if we do make it there," she stuttered; trying her best to ignore the feeling his skin against hers resonated within. "What will we do if he has escaped? How could he have?" Yami sighed seemingly ignorant of her concerns as he leaned in and breathed deeply from the top of her head.

"You smell more delightful than I remember," he purred. Serenity quaked in anticipation upon his closeness when suddenly her mind willed herself to reclaim her hand and take a step back. "We would be best to hope that we are false in Zorc's freedom." Yami rumbled lowly as he loomed over the small Queen.

"But I must admit, as treacherous as I remember this journey to be I find myself smoldering with excitement to be making it once more with you." He rolled in an enticing whisper.

"Nothing has changed. Everything is the same as before." Serenity attempted to muster coldly. The vampire merely chuckled as he displayed a fanged grin.

"I don't plan on failing. Perhaps sometime on Earth will help you see the light," he raised a suggestive eyebrow, "fairies belong here; not on the Moon."

"That isn't your decision." Serenity spoke regally, "or mine."

"We shall see," Yami spoke confidently. Turning he began strolling toward the nearby trees. "Your mother was right you know."

"I was unaware the two of you had ever met," Serenity said to his back as the vampire paused to casually toss his gaze behind him.

"Just once." He announced in baritone. "You don't remember? It was the first time I ever saw you." The vampire mused.

"The first time I met you was here; a thousand years ago when we agreed to all stop Zorc together." Serenity reminded. "Although I admit it wasn't the first time I had ever _heard _of you." Yami laughed amusingly as his glittering red eyes took in the bold Queen's form.

"Ah, I suppose you wouldn't remember. You were very young after all. I'll see you again in two days time and will be looking forward to it." He said with a wink and disappeared in a flash.

* * *

THANKS to: **Scarlet Moon, Sesshy's Mistress, Serena-hime, Yami-Nocturna, Artemis Day, anon, moon-guardian369, Saris Yui, **and **dark-moon-howl**! And those who alerted, favorited, or C2'd this story. Your reviews inspired me to continue this! Hopefully this chapter wasn't boring...there was a lot of talking but it was important in revealing some information and at the same time creating a lot more questions! If you guys have any other questions or concerns let me know; I'll answer what I can but some questions are integral to the plot. I appreciate the feedback SO MUCH, so THANK YOU!

~Kochou-hime


	3. Unbeatable

The Ostiary

Kochou-hime

**All characters belong to their respective owners.**

(A.N: In this story, passages in _italics _will denote Serenity's dreams or glimpses into her past.)

Unbeatable

"_Hey!" a young girl's voice protested as she dropped an armful of plush toys to the floor. Whirling around, she brought her hand to the back of her head with a whimper. "Why do you always pull my hair like that, Mina?" She demanded with stormy blue eyes widened._

"_Because your hair looks like ears on a bunny rabbit!" Mina giggled toward Princess Serenity who had her hair styled in buns on top of her head with small curls of blonde tendrils falling just above her shoulders. The five year old frowned as she bent down to retrieve her stuffed animals._

"_My mommy doesn't look like a rabbit." The Princess muttered, referring to her adoption of the Queen's hairstyle, as she scooped up her remaining items and placed them into a large wooden trunk across the room._

"_What are you doing anyway?" Serenity's cousin, a year older than she, asked in annoyance._

"_Packing my things for when we move to the Moon!" The Princess announced. Her blonde cousin snickered._

"_The Palace Stewards will do that for you! We are royalty after all," Mina reminded. Serenity scrunched her nose as she continued loading the wooden trunk with her most precious belongings._

"_What if they forget something?" The small Princess asked worriedly. Her cousin sighed as she vainly adjusted the large red bow she wore at the crown of her head. Glancing quickly back to the door she leaned in and cupped her hands around the smaller girl's ear._

"_I have a secret!" Mina whispered excitedly. "Do you want to know what it is?" Serenity narrowed her eyes suspiciously._

"_You're going to get us in trouble again!" Mina shook her head._

"_I heard someone talking about it in the hallway. A __**vampire **__is coming to meet with Aunt Serenity!" Serenity gasped and took a horrified step back. Her blue eyes glossed over with moisture as she was poised to cry._

"_You're just trying to scare me! Stop it!" The girl wailed loudly. Mina grumbled and quickly clamped a hand over the crying girl's mouth._

"_Cut it out; you'll give us away!" The taller blonde scolded._

"_But the vampire will bite Mommy. I'm scared!" Serenity blubbered against the other girl's hand. Mina slowly retracted her appendage but brought a finger indicating silence to her lips._

"_Your mom invited him here so it's going to be alright," Mina reassured to the sniffling Princess. "I think we should try to see him! We can spy into the throne room from behind the window screen."_

"_No way, I don't wanna." Serenity responded whilst wringing her tiny hands. The older Royal crossed her arms over her pale yellow dress._

"_Come on. When we move to the Moon there won't be any vampires there. I've never seen one before! Aren't you at least a little curious about what they look like?" Mina persuaded. The Princess's eyes widened seemingly as if the older girl's words had sparked her imagination._

"_But, Miss Michiru will notice we're gone. She'll be coming to send us to bed soon."_

"_Nu uh, she's playing board games with Miss Haruka in her room again. They'll be in there forever!" Mina responded with a hushed voice. A mischievous smile spread across the little Princess's face as she moved to a pile of large stuffed animals and quickly shifted them away. With Mina's help, the two cousins pulled a few stone bricks from the wall that revealed a secret passageway just large enough for a child to enter. Dropping to their hands and knees the two royal children crawled single file through the wall with Serenity at the front. Finally after traveling in the dusty tunnel, the giggling girls fell silent upon ducking behind a decorative shaded screen just to the right of the King's and Queen's majestic seats. Scanning her eyes around the room, the small Serenity gasped when she spotted a black cloaked figure flanked by wary Fae guards. Mina quickly moved her hand over the girl's mouth._

"_Shhhh!" She hissed as both turned their attention to the sound of heeled footsteps echo to the ceilings. The elegant Fae Queen, and mother to the secretly observing Princess, stepped confidently into view before the mysterious person with a male guard by her side. Within the trembling guard's hands was a simple wooden and square shaped case._

"_I apologize for keeping you waiting. I assumed a meeting after the sun had set would be the most suitable for you?" The Queen's voice rang steadily as she spoke fearlessly to the one with a hidden face that stood quite taller than she. He responded with a soft and masculine chuckle._

"_Nighttime is always the best time." His baritone voice affirmed. Briefly, the man shifted his head ever so slightly around the room and once again focused his attention on the Queen. "I must admit I was surprised to receive your letter; will I be making the acquaintance of the great Fae King as well?" He voiced almost mockingly while Queen Serenity regarded him with her cool stare._

"_He knows not of this meeting. I can almost assure you he wouldn't approve of it." She stated matter-of-factly. He laughed again, louder this time and startled the guards when he suddenly moved his hands to the hood of his cloak and pulled the fabric down. A pair of callous red eyes blazed toward the Queen who looked strongly upon him. A flood of whispers erupted amongst the guards as a smirk flew across the attractive vampire's face. He nodded his head politely; moving his reddish-black and spiked golden hair along with him as he did so._

"_Well, then it is a pleasure to meet the famed Fae Queen Serenity," the alluring creature spoke, "What can I do for you?" he spoke suggestively as his mouth spread into a toothy grin. The young Princess Serenity squealed into Mina's hand at the sight of the vampire's two monstrous fangs. _

"_Unlike most vampires, which to my understanding remain largely secretive, you have earned yourself quite the reputation." The Queen asserted coldly. "So much so I found difficulty in addressing my letter as you appear to have accumulated many names." The vampire responded with a crooked smile as his scarlet eyes lit up in amusement._

"_The Vampire King," she began keeping her hardened stare focused on him, "Nosferatu Rege, Pharaoh of Egypt, Lord of the Night, Destroyer of-"_

"_Yami; is fine." The vampire interrupted with a mirthful chuckle. The elder Serenity pursed her lips as she scrutinized her guest._

"_Of your various names and titles, Yami, I found one to be the most intriguing. I assume you know they refer to you as the King of Games? An alias acquired from your uncanny ability to emerge the victor of any contest?" The Queen asked._

"_You wish to offer me a challenge?" Yami questioned as his face flooded with excitement. "Do so with care because I can assure you; I'll never lose." The notorious man warned. A small smile crept across the Queen's face in response to the man's veiled threat. _

"_No, you misunderstand," The platinum blonde spoke casually as she stretched her fingers to touch the brown case nestled within the arms of the man who stood to her left. "I merely wish to return something I believe belongs to you." _

_Nodding to the male fairy, the Queen retracted her hand as the servant opened the box and revealed the contents within. The vampire's ruby eyes widened as he stared toward the object. The two child spies shuffled behind their hiding place but did so in vain as the item was obstructed from their view. Gesturing with her hand toward the opened vessel the Queen turned her attention upon the invited once more._

"_This was gifted to me by a dear friend of mine; a collector of ancient artifacts" she explained as Yami kept his eyes fixed upon the box in shock. "I found its appearance to be beautiful, but the moment it came in contact with my fingertips," the woman paused as her face clouded in memory, "a very hateful feeling washed over me; one that rolled in anger and spoke of terrible pain. I knew at once that this object was crafted for a purpose of wicked intent."_

"_The intent behind the creation of the tauk and the other six millennium items was originally a noble one," Yami spoke as he snapped his gaze to meet the Queen's. "But the price required for forging such powerful objects spawned a hatred so furious that it nearly destroyed the world. That object could corrupt even the most honorable creature." The vampire spoke darkly. "While it is an item from my past I would be very interested to know how you assumed it would belong to me."_

"_This necklace is a tauk you say? Then it is just as I suspected." Her voice sounded ominously, "Although I kept my distance once I realized its dark aura; the only occasion where I had touched it revealed to me a concerning vision regarding the future of the notorious King of Games."_

"_Oh dear," Yami feigned concern as he smirked toward the earnest appearing Queen, "should I be worried?" The vampire scoffed as his eyes shined with arrogance. Wordlessly, the silver haired fairy snatched the case from the guard's hands and snapped its lid shut. Turning on her heels she ignored the protests from the guardian at her side as she walked quickly and boldly toward the dangerous creature. He hummed in amusement as the undaunted Royal stopped just a foot before him._

"_I wonder what it must be like," the Queen murmured scathingly as her blue eyes regarded the vampire coldly, "to live for thousands of years and yet never experiencing a single affection for anything or anyone." _

"_You're wrong," his low voice rolled as he studied her, "I very much enjoy and look forward to defeating my opponents and claiming their lives as my conquest," he said while flashing his teeth. Suddenly, the Queen wore a smirk of her own._

"_Then I regret to inform you that this tauk foretells the defeat of the King of Games," he raised an eyebrow intrigued upon her statement. Yami moved his gaze to the wooden parcel as she extended it to him._

"_You may truly care for nothing but the day that changes is upon the horizon. Destiny, as it seems, has chosen to bring virtue upon a monster like you." She spoke confidently earning a slow and dark chuckle._

"_I'm afraid you don't know me very well, Serenity. The people of this world may consider you a saint, but not even you could force a conscience upon me." Yami asserted firmly._

"_No, not I," She responded, "You will fight it. I'm sure you find emotion to be a quality found only in those you prey upon, but resistance will be futile, Yami. For you will experience a love like no other creature has ever before. A devotion so important to you that you would forfeit your life if only to just keep it safe." The Queen finished as the vampire openly laughed. _

"_There you are!" A quiet voice hissed suddenly. Mina and her accomplice nearly jumped from their skins as Miss Michiru flanked by Haruka moved behind the screen. "How in the world did you two manage to get back here?" The aquamarine haired Michiru asked in exasperation._

"_Uh-"Mina stuttered but fell silent as Michiru grabbed a hold of the two girls' hands and led them from behind the Palace decoration. _

"_You sure had us worried, Kitten," Haruka, a tall woman with short blonde hair, smiled down toward the Princess, "you should let Michiru know the next time the two of you decide to play hide and seek." She whispered amusingly. The young girl suddenly shivered as she spotted her mother who now affixed her surprised gaze upon her. Her big blue eyes widened where she stood in her white dress covered with dust. Shifting her attention to the vampire the girl frowned at the sight of his fiery red irises focused on her as he slowly tilted his head to the side in interest. _

"_Come on!" Miss Michiru hissed under her breath as she quickly rushed the two Royal children from the room._

_

* * *

_

"Jou, take this." The sound of Mina's voice awoke Serenity from her stupor. Frowning, she focused her gaze upon her two family members.

"A sword, huh? Is there anything special 'bout it?" The blonde Prince asked as he removed the shining weapon from its sheath and spun it with a twist of his wrist.

"It's pure silver. Making it too soft to break through a shield or stone, but at the same time it's the perfect weapon for fighting a werewolf." Mina explained.

"Oh yeah! Silver is deadly to weres!" A smirk suddenly crossed Jou's face. "And if I remember correctly, silver is also one hell of a conductor of electricity."

"You got it," Mina said with a wink. With a swift swing before him, the long blade suddenly lit up with crackling bolts of buzzing energy.

Fairies, while a peaceful race, were beings known to bear magical powers of the elemental variety. The supernatural abilities of each individual fairy, while they could be practiced and cultivated to superior heights, were acquired upon birth. Jou's skill in wielding lightning was a very uncommon elemental power found among the fae; one in which he had inherited from his father, the late Fae King. The type of enchantment attributed to Mina, too, was a unique prowess within the Royal family. She embodied a bright and shining radiance that made her unimaginably magnetic to the desire of others but at the same time if used for the purpose, she could form it into a beam that could be utilized as a very effective weapon. But of the rarest, as only one other fairy in history had possessed such a power, was the mysterious light that dwelled within Serenity.

Pure and unadulterated, the brilliance that settled within her core made its presence known upon reflecting from her glossy blue orbs; the windows into her soul. The Queen was drowned in the midst of its essence; as if it was a translucent but sparkling aura invisible to all those but the ones who were looking carefully. At the hands of most beings, power exclusively described the capacity to destroy or defend, but the magic commanded by Serenity was entirely something different.

A touch from her fingertips could heal almost any wound and bring a wilting flower, denied water and sunlight, back to life. Although the Earth was filled with inhabitants who thrived through destruction, Serenity existed as a creature of creation. It had been her mother who fashioned the lunar atmosphere and named it Lucere using her own shining gift in which Serenity had inherited from her. Just as the late Fae Queen had crafted a world on the Moon for the fae to live free and in peace; her daughter had created the prison that held Zorc trapped to this day where he could no longer harm the life of Earth and space, or at least, Serenity hoped.

The new Fae Queen had succeeded, with the help of powerful companions, where her mother had fallen in the attempt. Locking away the darkest demon to plague the world had been a great service, although truthfully it had been so long ago that hardly anyone remembered the deed. What most had failed to realize was with being the creator of the ancient prison came a very unique responsibility; one that taxed heavily upon her now. Serenity was not merely the builder of that which caged Zorc, but its ostiary as well. She was the only one who was able to open and close the gate, which presented a very important question that she was certain hung at the forefront of everyone's mind: how could have the demon escaped without the Queen releasing him?

"Bunny! What do ya think?" Jou's voice again interrupted the pensive woman's thoughts. Her overwrought gaze shifted to the Prince who held his sword heroically as it remained bathed in a pulsating glow.

"I think I should be making this trip alone," Serenity snapped earning an eye roll from her sibling. "You have no idea how dangerous the Earth is." She spoke gravely with a low trembling voice.

"Exactly, I'm going to protect you!" The male Royal barked. Before the Queen could protest she was interrupted by the sound of the room's door opening. Craning her neck to look behind her, Serenity's mouth dropped open when her vision filled with the sight of a raven haired woman.

"Good afternoon, Rei," Mina spoke aloud as the arriving fairy fell to one knee in acknowledgement to the Queen and stood upright once more.

"Rei…" Jou whispered as the electricity along his weapon dissipated. His hazel eyes fell reverently upon the newcomer who held a stoic expression as she approached the three. Unlike the other two women, she donned gray form-fitting pants with a long sleeved purple hued top that rivaled the color of her vivid irises.

"Sorry I'm late, Lady Mina," The one called Rei spoke as she halted upon closing a circle between the standing Royals. Serenity quickly shifted her unsettled gaze from Mina to Rei.

"Please Rei; don't endanger yourself on this undertaking. I wish for everyone else to remain here safely." The Queen begged as her blue eyes glossed over with emotion. The beautiful dark haired woman narrowed her eyes upon Serenity.

"I was more than happy to accept Lady Mina's request," she spoke coolly as she moved a lock of her long hair away from her face, "being selected to defend the Fae Queen is the greatest honor."

"Then I shall protect you both!" Jou announced emphatically as he raised his sword with a confident grin. Rei briefly regarded him with her uncaring gaze before returning her attention to Mina. His face fell and he lowered his weapon dejectedly toward the ground.

"Do you need any weapons?" Mina asked. A small smirk appeared across Rei's face in response.

"I came prepared." She stated simply. Lifting her hands before her a burst of fire appeared that caused all observing parties to take a weary step back. The flames suddenly began to take shape as they formed into the image of a bow fitted with a fiery arrow. Pulling back her right hand sent the scorching spear barreling to the stone walls of the Palace where it dissipated upon nothing to burn.

"Impressive," Lady Mina commented calmly toward the archer.

Serenity had to admit that even though she wished not to endanger the lives of anyone Jou and Rei were the closest thing, with the exception of her and Mina who had experience in the subject, to warriors the fae had. Although wielding fire was not a rare elemental ability among fairies Rei had trained diligently to bring her skill into an impressive level of control. While the fae were collectively peaceful it wasn't uncommon for select fairies to participate in learning self defense in the unfortunate event that some ill willed attack could ever befall the peaceful race that lived on the Moon.

"There are some things the two of you should be aware of-" Mina began but was interrupted when the bold woman of fire cleared her throat.

"Humans are considerably much weaker than the other Earth inhabitants," Rei recited as she affixed her amethyst eyes onto Mina's cool blues. "They draw their strength from massive numbers. Werewolves have supernatural abilities and can change into a wolf hybrid at will allowing them incredible strength and speed. Their weaknesses lie in their extreme allergy to silver and the time during the full moon where they must transition to a full wolf-like state and lose control of their sentient conscious."

"It sounds like you've done your homework." The Lady observed as she crossed her arms. "How about dragons? Vampires?" She asked sounding somewhat annoyed.

"Ooh!" Jou yelled out as he acquired the three women's attention. "Dragons are these huge lizard things that can fly and…breathe fire!" He grinned excitedly. Mina tossed him a scolding glance.

"They can't all do that, and _some _of them possess magical abilities as well." His cousin reminded.

"Oh yeah. And _vampires_," The Prince spoke the name loathingly, "they're the worst of them all. They come out at night to steal blood from their victims. They're super strong and fast too, but no match for me of course." The fairy commented haughtily earning a glare from Rei.

"Vampires also feel cold to touch making them easy to discern from humans and may only wander the Earth at night because to them sunlight is lethal." Rei added correctively. Mina shook her head and wagged a finger before her.

"Ah-ah-ah, that's not entirely true." Rei narrowed her eyes toward the tall blonde. Mina shifted her eyes toward the Queen who appeared to be staring out into space. "Bunny, why don't you tell them a little about Yami?" Serenity involuntarily shuddered at the name as she frowned toward her cousin.

"Who the heck is Yami?" Jou asked curiously. The Queen blinked as all eyes fell upon her curiously. Her heart began to race as a flash of memories fluttered across her mind.

"The Vampire King, as far as the treaty states, anyway," She answered pulling in a short breath, "as I'm sure Mina explained to the both of you, he and some of the most powerful members from the other races will be accompanying us on the journey to Babylonia." Swallowing hard she shifted her stare to Jou and Rei. "Not all vampires feel cold."

Oh Gods, Yami most certainly _wasn't _cold.

"Vampires are also unique in the abilities they have." She continued to explain. "Yami in particular can hear thoughts and see images from another creature's mind." Both Jou and Rei's eyes widened in surprise as Serenity rubbed her arms feeling somewhat uncomfortable speaking on the subject.

"He also retains the ability to travel within the shadows, even being able to cross through solid stone walls but only in an area absolutely devoid of light. And sunlight isn't lethal to vampires although he did admit to me that they are considerably weaker during the times when the sun is in the sky." Silence hung around the group for several minutes when Jou finally spoke.

"Well, he's on our side right? What's the big deal then?" He shrugged. "I guess he is _still _a vampire though." The Prince finished thoughtfully.

"Are there any other vampires with powers like his?" Rei asked sharply.

"Not anymore." Mina spoke quietly. Serenity frowned as she caught the swift passing of pain that swept through her lovely cousin's light blue eyes.

"The most important thing to remember is that just like us, the other races harbor unique abilities within individuals that can be harmful to fairies. We must be on our guard and ready for anything." The Queen spoke as she shifted her gaze to the two fairies whom had never once been to Earth.

"Also, keep in mind," Mina warned. "While we may no longer reside on the Earth many of these people, especially the older ones, know _our _weaknesses well." The Lady didn't have to elaborate what she meant by that as it was perfectly clear to any fairy that what she spoke of was absolutely deadly. A weapon crafted from pure solid iron could easily weaken and destroy any one of them if it were to come in contact with their skin. The Moon was thankfully free of any traces of the substance, but iron could be found almost everywhere across the Earth, though thankfully, rarely in a pure form.

"We'll leave at sunset," Serenity spoke to the silent group, "pack as much as you think you'll need, and if any of you change your mind I'd prefer it if-"

"We're going!" Jou interrupted his sister's plea as both he and Rei turned to leave in order to prepare themselves to depart. Serenity watched them exit the room feeling sick to her stomach as the thought of harm coming to either of the younger fairies haunted her mind. Mina fell into the seat at Serenity's dark wooden desk unceremoniously as she pinched the bridge of her nose exhaustively.

"I noticed you conveniently left out that bit about Yami's invincibility," Mina mumbled as Serenity briefly regarded her with her gaze. Turning her head she faced the open window where the sun hung lazily in the artificial sky.

"Because it's absurd," the Queen spoke as the sunlight reflected within her oceanic orbs. "No one is immortal forever, not even him. If that were true, they'd still be alive." Serenity spoke woefully in the memory of her parents; the ones she had thought she had avenged the day Zorc had been sealed away.

"Is it really so hard to believe?" Mina asked as she stared into the fairy. "That he truly cannot be beaten? Gods I hope so. I'm counting on him to look after you." Her words rang ominously as a fuzzy memory from the past swarmed within the Queen's head.

"Do you remember when we were young, right before we left the Old Land for good?" The younger fairy asked of her cousin. Mina shrugged.

"What about it?"

"When we snuck through the wall to see the vampire who had come to speak with my mother?" Serenity asked as she turned to her attention down toward where the other woman sat. Mina lifted an eyebrow in scrutiny.

"I don't remember that." Standing from her seat she put a hand on Serenity's shoulder, "look, you're obviously really tired, why don't you try to get some rest?" The shorter blonde's eyes opened wide. Searching her thoughts once more, she truly began to wonder if she had completely lost her grip on reality. Mina sighed. "I should be going on this journey with you."

"You're the only one who can look after her!" Serenity spoke in sudden urgency; her eyes filled to the brim with worry. Mina groaned and moved her hand to fall upon her cousin's other shoulder.

"Relax, I'm going to take good care of Rini. I know how to look after my little cousin. You won't need to worry about anything but keeping yourself safe." Mina reassured. "I also warned the both of them beforehand that no one needs to know or should know about her, for the safety of _everyone_." Serenity sighed. The existence of Rini would potentially cause quite a stir if a certain someone was to find out about it and most likely an apocalyptic one at that.

"I need to speak with her," The Queen whispered softly as she turned to exit the room. Withdrawing her hands Mina released a deep breath as she watched her back.

"She already knows." The blonde called to Serenity softly, "That little girl has always been an intuitive one." The Queen paused at the door frame to look back to her cousin once more.

"I know."

Nearly trudging as she made her way through the Moon's grand Palace, Serenity gently pushed open the door to her daughter's bedroom. Quickly scanning the room with her silvery blue eyes, her gaze finally fell upon the small girl with cherry blossom colored hair who was scribbling furiously onto a piece of parchment. She sat bending over the small table, only pausing when she finally noticed her mother standing in the doorway. Rini's wine colored eyes beamed angrily toward her as the look sent a harrowing twinge into Serenity's chest.

"Rini…" The mother began as the girl turned her hateful eyes back to where she was coloring with several different writing utensils. Her insides felt twisted as a pain wrenched through her core when a few drops of moisture fell to the piece paper in the dimly lit room.

"Why can't I go with you?" The girl's small voice rang between heart breaking sobs. "Why are you leaving me?" Serenity bit hard down upon her lip failing to halt the tears that rolled down her face. Her hands trembled as she quickly rushed to the table and wrapped her fingers around the girl's drawing hand.

"Rini, I will come back as soon as I can," Serenity attempted to hold her wavering voice steady, "and I will _never_ leave you again." She whispered. The girl slowly retracted her hand from the Queen's loose grip. Grabbing the paper she leapt from her chair and took a few steps backward. A quiet sob escaped Serenity's throat as the young girl looked down to her feet.

"How can you tell me that?" Rini muttered as she slowly lifted her tear stained face and rose-red colored eyes welled with moisture toward her mother. "When you don't even believe it yourself?" Serenity felt as if a blade had been driven through her chest as she stared toward her.

"Rini," Serenity shook, "Listen to me-"

"Leave me alone!" The girl wailed as she barreled around her mother and hurriedly exited the room. Sucking in a large breath of air, the Queen openly cried within the lonely room.

She truly didn't know if she could survive this journey, again. The last time she had ventured to defeat Zorc there had been so many close calls; so many deaths that she couldn't even fathom the number within her mind. Red had forever been stained upon her memory. Serenity had dreamed for countless nights of the blood that had rained from the skies and tarnished her once innocent skin. There had been so much at stake during that time with the future of the world on the line, but none of that seemed important now as she thought about her only daughter. Could she fight to survive in world where there would be countless threats of death lurking behind every corner? Did she have it in her to wield the Holy Blade Mina had given her against another creature? Wiping her eyes, she quickly left the room believing that she would do whatever she must to both defend the Earth and come back to her daughter alive.

She had to.

The sun had eventually plummeted to the horizon ignoring Serenity's wishes of it to remain full and daytime forever. She walked down a vacant hallway in silence where any evidence of her Royal image was now concealed. Her pale yellow hair remained secured in its typical style: two buns of silken strands formed at the crown of her head where the remainder of its length cascaded downward in two long streamers that reached her mid-calf. The Queen had relinquished her stunning dress for a silvery-gray pair of fitted slacks tucked into shiny black boots that came to her knees. Her long-sleeved crème colored top rounded off just below her collar bone. Swinging on a black velvety coat over the ensemble she frowned as she spied her brother and Rei awaiting her in the Palace foyer. She had prayed, with little hope, that they would change their minds. Serenity reached down into her pocket to verify the presence of her sub-space satchel; a magical, tiny white bag that could hold a multitude of items, including Mina's precious weapon she had insisted upon her taking.

She came to a stop greeting Mina with a curt nod as she looked past her blonde bangs toward where her brother stood appearing absolutely valiant and hiding any reservations he might have with making this journey behind a heroic front. Rei stood similarly with piercing violet orbs ready and awaiting Serenity's orders.

"Mommy!" Serenity whirled around at the sound of Rini's voice as the young girl went crashing into her legs. "I'm sorry! I love you so much. Please don't forget about me!" Kneeling down Serenity pulled the girl into a grateful embrace and placed a tearful kiss on the top of her pink hair.

"Rini, I will come back. I promise you!" The girl's mother spoke softly. Wiping the tears away from her eyes the pink haired girl handed Serenity a folded piece of white paper. Gently unfolding the parcel, her eyes filled with the image of a red heart with depictions of her, Jou, Mina, and Rini all standing together inside. A shining smile spread across the Queen's face as she carefully refolded the item and placed it within an inner pocket of her coat.

"I'll keep it with me always. I love you Rini and I could never ever forget about you!" The small girl smiled as Mina walked to her side and took ahold of her hand.

"Be careful out there," The Royal cousin spoke as she looked from the Princess to Serenity. "Don't let his sacrifice go in vain." The woman begged. Serenity leaned in to embrace Mina before she turned back to her traveling companions.

"Are you two ready?" All evidence of Serenity's existence as the peaceful Fae Queen was gone as she stood before them looking the part of a determined warrior; prepared for a victorious adventure.

"Yes," Rei announced firmly. A big grin flew across Jou's face as he thrust his arm outward and his thumb up in the air.

"I was born ready! Let's go!"

* * *

Thank you thank you to: **Scarlet Moon, dark-wolf-howl, Artemis Day, Saris Yui, Sesshy's Mistress, Yami Nocturna, Serena-hime, Failisse, Anexya, moon-guardian369, **and **Sakura Waldorf** for reviewing the last chapter! Also thanks to those who alerted and favorited this story!

I *hope* this wasn't too boring! I feel like I've taken a lot of time to set up the story but I absolutely promise the next chapter will be action packed! Thanks again for reading!


	4. A Map to Nowhere

The Ostiary

Kochou-hime

**All characters belong to their respective owners.**

A Map to Nowhere

The fairy trio stepped into the night where the Earth was cradled within a mist of inky blackness. Serenity's ears picked up the sound of two soft gasps as the blue planet's air swelled within her lungs. Tossing a glance over her shoulder toward the younger fairies she revealed a wry smile as they shifted their heads and widened eyes to hastily take in all that surrounded them. The feeling overwhelming her companions was one she understood well.

In all that was beautiful about the world on the Moon: peace amongst all, the pristine crystal white landscape to its perfect year round warm temperature there was something, almost indescribable that felt very unnatural within Lucere. It was as if the place was too ideal if such a thing was even possible. Even those who had never left the Utopian atmosphere experienced the vague feeling of its falsity though most would refuse to admit it as Earth was considered to be a place filled with the immoral and unclean.

The looks upon the fairies' faces read like an open book. Their entire lives had been previously spent inside a safe but artificial universe and stepping outside of it had exposed to them all that was true and real for the very first time. The planet of the fae's homeland was indeed a magnificent place, but Serenity knew from experience that in truth the Old Land was just as ugly as it was beautiful.

Rei gingerly reached her fingers outward and touched her skin to the surface of a dewy leaf attached to a twirling vine. A sudden rustle from the shrubbery before her sent both she and Jou stumbling backwards in a panic. Serenity quickly shifted her crystalline blue eyes to the ground and her vision filled with the form of a small, fluffy rabbit that froze within the darkness.

"Is that a real bunny rabbit?" Jou demanded loudly causing the startled creature to bound away in alarm. Serenity laughed heartily for the first time in a few days as she looked upon Rei glare toward her brother.

"You scared it away! I've never seen one before now." Rei hissed toward the taller fairy. Jou put a hand behind his head and grinned sheepishly.

"There will be plenty more to see; other animals too!" Serenity spoke cheerily as a small ball of light formed in the palm of her hand. "Come on this way, the Castle isn't far from here." She continued nodding her head toward the hazy form of a massive building in the darkness. Approaching Serenity on either side the three walked closely together as they calmly made way to the ominous appearing structure. Jou patted his open palm upon the top of Serenity's blonde head and released a quiet but goofy laugh.

"You do look like a bunny!" He snickered. Serenity scrunched her nose comically as she regarded her teasing sibling.

"Don't let anyone else hear you call me that!" She whined nudging his side with her elbow.

"Hey!" Jou said with a laugh, putting a buffer of space between her and his ticklish side, "why not? That's your nickname whether you like it or not!" A large whoosh-like sound from above caught the travelers' attention as a massive blur of gold briefly flashed within Serenity's vision. The ground rumbled slightly as an enormous reptilian beast with pebbled golden skin landed on the grassy ground with a flap of its wide spanned wings. Rei and Jou stiffened as each stared toward the creature slack-jawed.

"Good evening, Serenity!" The golden dragon sounded jovially but loudly to the petite Fairy Queen.

"Ah! It can talk?" Jou yelped as he looked incredulously upon the beast. Shifting his great red eyes, the dragon moved his attention to the others accompanying Serenity.

"Where is Mina?" He rumbled sounding surprisingly pleasant for a creature so large.

"There was a matter she had to look after on the Moon," Serenity spoke honestly, "Ra, please meet Rei," she spoke indicating toward the surprised woman, "and my brother Jounouchi." The dragon blinked as his eyes spied the tall blonde before turning his attention back to the Queen.

"Well, then it is a pleasure to meet you both! Shall we? I spotted the some of the others waiting just outside the Gatehouse." Serenity nodded though she felt a lump beginning to form within her throat. A vision of the infamous Vampire King flashed to the front of her thoughts as they made their way toward the now visible gate. Pushing his winsome image to the back of her mind she cast her scrutinizing blue irises upon her sibling.

"If rabbits or dragons had been out to attack me I might have been in trouble," Serenity spoke quietly toward him earning a hard hazel eyed glare. Both he and Rei had frozen at the first sign of a disturbance, which worried the Royal. "It's not too late for you to return home. Either of you," She spoke toward Rei's direction. Rei narrowed her gaze.

"I will be ready for every encounter from here on out." She spoke firmly.

"Me too," Jou reassured earning a sigh from Serenity.

Finally reaching the gate of Castle Elpis the flaxen haired fairy visualized shadowy figures brought to light by torches that lined the outer stone walls. Now being encompassed by the fires' glow, Serenity absorbed the ball of light that floated above her palm. With the great dragon blocking the majority of her view to the right the Fae Queen spied Seto toward their left. His eyes shone toward the arrivals, vexing as his expression always was. The Wolf King surprisingly wasn't alone but flanked by two tall companions all dressed in long brown coats. The first was a long legged woman with a sharp pair of deep blue eyes. Her short brown hair was cut angularly around her light skinned face. The other appeared to be darker skinned as he stood nearly as tall as Seto. His brunette hair was styled peculiarly where it came to an angled point above his forehead.

"Serenity!" Turning to the sound of her name she spied Endymion approach with a petite girl walking calmly at his side. The human donned the appearance of a valiant knight wearing all silver and black armor where a charcoal cape fluttered at his back. Turning his gaze to Jou he smiled gratefully and reached out for his hand.

"Hey! Long time, no see, how's it going?" Jou asked cordially as he shook the King's hand.

"It sure is good to see some familiar and friendly faces," The ebony haired man grinned. "I'm afraid I haven't made your acquaintance," he said shifting his charming glance to the stoic fire-wielding fairy.

"Rei," she said simply as her amethyst eyes showed little emotion.

"Call me Endymion," the King spoke pleasantly, shifting to his side he put a comforting hand upon his short companion's shoulder, "Please Hotaru, also meet the Fairy Queen Serenity and Prince Jounouchi."

A wave of concern rolled across Serenity as her eyes met with the bright violet orbs of the girl. She looked very young, no older than sixteen years of age if the Queen was to guess. The teenager wore her hair in a short bob where the black strands fell just above her shoulders. Her pale white skin was beautiful but gave her an almost sickly appearance. A worry tinged upon Serenity's senses; how bad was the situation if someone as young as she was needed on this journey?

"It's a pleasure to meet all of you," Hotaru spoke as she bowed her head in polite acknowledgement.

"Hotaru is very skilled in her magical abilities. She's graciously agreed to do all she can to help us on our mission." Endymion explained.

"Shimon," the large dragon's voice boomed from above as he shifted his mighty body backward to sit on his hind legs. "I believe we're all here." Serenity's eyes caught sight of the gray haired man immediately in her now unobstructed view. Her eyes flew open in utter surprise as she spied the figure that prevailed just beyond him.

The notorious King of Games leaned casually against the great stone wall. Arms crossed against his chest he relaxed his head toward the ground with closed eyes and an amused smirk plastered across his face. Dressed primarily in royal blue his jacket hung lazily around his shoulders revealing a pair of toned and tan arms adorned with a leather strap fastened around his swollen right bicep. The black and short sleeved shirt clinging to his torso brought attention to his lean physique, yet did no justice to the aura of raw power that oozed from the precarious being. Serenity felt dizzy as she lulled upon the man's deceiving heavenly form. Suddenly, the virtuous fairy's heart thumped uproariously as a smoldering crimson eye flashed in an assault upon her peaceful blues. Moving fluidly away from the wall, Serenity's eyes snapped to a second figure who lingered at the vampire's side. The two ghostly forms nearly glided as they smoothly traveled toward where the group waited in the fire-light.

The other walking within arms length of Yami was a woman who stood tall, no more than an inch shorter than he. Flowing strands of long blonde hair sat perfectly around her feminine and impossibly attractive face. A short violet coat wrapped around her body stopping just above the hem of her similarly colored mini skirt where her creamy white legs went on for days into a pair of ankle high black boots. Under the jacket a small black top did little to cover her ample bust as the provocative woman looked straight toward Serenity with a calculating look shining in her deep purple eyes.

'_Fairies_,' The Fae Queen frowned as she watched the woman mouth the word inaudibly through a fanged and grinning smile.

Moving her eyes to stare in front of her the fairy feigned coolness as she leveled her thoughts to a meditative state of awareness just as she had instructed Rei and Jou to do in the presence of the wretched mind reader. From a quick glance Rei appeared to be employing this tactic diligently but with a look toward Jou she sighed. He stood staring wide-eyed in the seducing female's direction until his older sister stuck a finger into his ticklish side.

"Hey!" he whispered in protest but clamped his mouth shut and cast his eyes dutifully toward Shimon when he caught Serenity's warning gaze.

"Well, it appears as if we are in need of some introductions." The old man spoke as he turned his eyes in awe to the stunning Fairy Queen who nearly radiated in purity and warmth, like an angel in the moonlight.

After briefly introducing her friend and sibling Serenity barely registered the others speaking on account of their introductions as she tried to suppress the flock of thoughts clawing to the front of her mind. Since when did Yami have any _friends_? Other than Bakura, before he had died, the man had been the only other person she had seen her former flame consort with in a friendly manner. If you could even call it that; the two vampires had seemed to fight and argue more than they enjoyed the other's company.

"This is Anzu," Seto spoke void of emotion as he indicated to the woman at his side, "and this is Honda." He finished pointing to the tan skinned man accompanying him.

So, who was she? A new lover, perhaps? An involuntary cringe gripped within her chest as she focused her unsettled blue eyes to the green grass in an attempt to rein control of her emotions once more.

_Ignore him._ She ordered of herself as a dark chuckle conquered her attention.

"I suppose I require no introduction," Yami spoke richly as his crimson orbs burned obsessively into Serenity's gaze. "Even those of you I haven't met seem to know who I am already," he commented arrogantly shifting his eyes around to everyone briefly. "This is Mai. A vampire like me but I assure you she won't bite." A soft chuckle flitted from the woman at the sardonic commentary but no one else displayed any amusement toward the joke. Tearing her eyes away from the creature's amused red eyes she focused squarely upon the Vizier.

"Shimon," Serenity spoke polite but sternly, "where is the map?" Shimon put a hand behind his head and grinned sheepishly. Jou blinked toward his spoken sibling.

"Map? Why do we need a map?" The Fairy Prince asked while scratching his head.

"Babylonia is a very difficult place to find," Ra turned his great head toward Jou and answered merrily.

"But, haven't you all already been there before?" Jou wondered aloud again as he now looked toward the great golden dragon. Rei promptly rolled her eyes and glared toward the outspoken fairy.

"Are you some kind of idiot or something?" The dirty blonde flashed his gaze toward the source of the annoyed voice and narrowed his hazel eyes upon the proclaimed Wolf King. "Honestly, I would think a relative of Serenity would have a little more going on upstairs."

"How the heck was I supposed to know? I'm not-"

"Babylonia isn't exactly a place, at least, not in the traditional sense where it would be a single point always in the same location," a calm and deep voice interrupted the angry Prince.

The enigmatic vampire sauntered toward the fairies with the square of his body aligned with the front of Serenity's form. Coming to a stop a few feet before her he ever so slightly tilted his face to meet the surprised gaze of the Fairy Prince.

"Think of it more as a state of being. Only those worthy of finding it, will." The Fae Queen stiffened and mustered forth her most earnest appearance as Yami's glowing red eyes fell once again upon her.

"Hello Serenity," the King charmed languidly with a roll of his tongue. Serenity said nothing as she silently battled against the variety of emotional words in her mouth that begged for liberation. She sensed Rei move closer toward her as the younger woman kept her eyes affixed to the vampire in concern.

"Where's the goddamn map Shimon?" Seto demanded impatiently. The Grand Vizier let out a sigh that caught everyone's attention.

"Well you see," the man explained as he let his shoulders slump. "A few years ago I gave it to a friend of mine for safe keeping. After all I am getting older-"

"Gave it to whom? You couldn't have retrieved it for us before we returned?" Seto barked rudely.

"Well I tried!" The angry old man roared, "But he refused to give it back!" The Dragon King promptly released a loud and heavy sigh.

"Oh dear Shimon, please tell me you didn't give the map to a dwarf." Ra begged. The short gray haired wizard crossed his arms indignantly.

"How was I supposed to know you all would need it again? Giving it to a stubborn hoarder was the best way of keeping it safe!" Shimon defended. The dragon groaned and shook his great head disapprovingly.

"Relax old friend," Yami's baritone voice announced. Casting the dragon a confident nod a malicious smile flew across his face. "We'll just pay this person a visit and persuade his cooperation. Pray tell Shimon, where would we find this friend of yours?" He asked shooting the man a quick glance.

"Yami, although obnoxious, he _is _a friend of mine." Shimon warned. The Vampire King chuckled darkly.

"You sound concerned Shimon and quite frankly I'm offended." He twirled toward the man and upturned his palms innocently. "I believe you underestimate my persuasiveness as I merely intend to ask for it nicely." The fanged man explained with a barbed smile.

"He lives hidden within the forest just past Elips' Southern-most wall; it's easy to find but please, Yami, be merciful." The old man spoke whilst shaking his head.

"Shimon," the monster masquerading as a man spoke lowly, "you know full and well that word isn't in my vocabulary." His venomous comment sent an icy shiver down Serenity's spine. She flinched when the werewolves suddenly vanished in a flash as they took off running toward the South, noticing too, the almost invisible nod the vampire standing before her sent toward his female counterpart inducing her disappearance also.

"I'll talk to him Shimon," Yami turned to Serenity once more at the sound of her voice. "He'll give the map to me." She spoke directly into the vampire as he attempted to consume her with his venereal gaze.

"Come on, we better get this over with," Ra spoke as he began walking slowly away. Serenity's human and fairy companions looked toward her expectantly.

"You all go on ahead," Serenity spoke commandingly not once moving her gaze away from the clever man's. "I'll catch up."

"Queen Serenity-" Rei began to protest.

"Its fine, I won't be long." She spoke again as Jou and Rei, followed by Endymion and Hotaru walked off hesitantly in the great dragon's direction. Shimon sighed and patted his front pocket for keys as he turned to the enormous steel bars.

"Be careful, Serenity," he whispered under his breath as the elderly man quietly opened and walked through the Castle Gate.

The two beings stood alone in what seemed to be endless silence in the dark but moonlit night. Serenity watched the soft breeze rustle the lazy reddish-black and golden spikes of his hair as she focused her gaze unflinching upon him. A swirl of sensations traveled within her body as her mortal enemy's remarkable form hung over her, moving his dazzling red irises to quickly drink in every visible feature. The fairy had often envisioned this day, fantasizing really since she had been sure she would never behold the creature again, wondering if she'd feel anger, desire or fear in his presence. To be honest, she felt a peculiar and conflicting mixture of all.

"It's really quite astounding," Yami's voice smoothed invitingly. Slowly leaning in closer to her she could almost feel electricity on his breath. "That even after nearly a thousand years you are still the only creature worthy of my attention," his voice fell an octave as he resonated toward her. "And believe me; it is permanently full and undivided in regards to anything involving you." The Fae Queen arched a scrutinizing brow; not being won over so easily by his appealing words.

"I'm sure Mai would take offense to that statement," Serenity let her heated words fly and immediately regretted them the moment they left her tongue. His eyes sparked with delight as he could hardly contain the savage and crooked smile upon his face.

"Oh, Serenity," he rolled lusciously to her chagrin, "green is not an attractive color on you." Serenity's face flushed red, more so in anger at his insinuation of her jealously than embarrassment as her shining blue orbs narrowed upon him.

"You misunderstand-"

"I take it back," Yami interrupted.

With a quick and mischievous wink, the vampire's arm snaked around her waist. The petite blonde froze as she felt his firm hand press into the small of her back. He sucked in a breath with a quiet hiss as her hips connected with the studded leather belt wrapped around his trousers. She was suddenly overwhelmed with his alluring scent; a completely foreign and pleasant spice that tantalized her senses. The vampire's overpowering presence subdued the Royal into a vulnerable trance.

"You are still the most divine thing I've ever seen regardless of what you wear," he hummed quietly toward his entrapped prey. His enchanting voice waned on her resolve as a part of her conscious begged for the fairy to surrender to the tempting monster. "Especially when it's _nothing _at all," slowly dipping his mouth to claim hers her mind was assaulted with memories of him.

Skin against skin, the way that bronzed body had felt against hers was King of all of her indulgent thoughts. The man might as well have been a God with his refined physical perfection in every aspect. And that cruel mouth burnished with long and sharp teeth had brought pain and anguish upon billions, but to her had only delivered indescribable pleasures with a lush and incandescent heat.

"Stop," she commanded and he complied; his lips inches within hers.

"So your words demand," he sounded amusingly; the vibrations of his voice tickling her lips, "however, your mind and body bid me otherwise." Yami finished with a chuckle. Fury filled the fairy's great blue eyes as she pushed away from him with her hands into his solid abdominals. Leisurely letting her free herself from his hand at her back he appeared entertained by her irritation.

"My private thoughts are none of your business!" She snapped. He openly laughed toward her, cocking his head to one side in interest.

"You're not as good at concealing them as you think you are." The Vampire King stated simply causing the fairy to grit her teeth in frustration.

"The only reason I stayed to speak with you is to make one thing very clear," Serenity spoke firmly. Yami raised an eyebrow in question. "I came to the Old Land is to ensure Zorc is not free to bring his evil upon it. Entertaining you is _not_ among my interests or priorities," she conveyed coldly. A brief flash of ire passed and quickly left the vampire's fiery orbs as he released a small clicking sound.

"Well, if didn't know any better," his low voice spoke thoughtfully as he moved his hands into his pants pockets. "I'd say the Fae Queen grew some teeth over the past thousand years." He articulated with a quick brush of his tongue across one of his glittering white fangs.

"They say my bark is worse than my bite," the woman commented bitterly, unsure of whether to draw insult or not from his statement. Yami tried and failed to hold in a loud snicker as he pulled his jacket away from his shoulders and swung it on.

"How lovely," he bared a grin while pulling his arms into the sleeves of the high collared coat. "But unfortunate as I cannot say the same for myself." He alluded wickedly. Without warning the vampire disappeared from her vision and before she had time to blink, she felt a pair of hands fall gently against her slender waist. Feeling the taller man's body inches from her back, Serenity didn't bother to turn around.

"You've only made my pursuit more interesting," Yami breathed softly into her ear, "winning you over again will be much more rewarding than I had previously hoped for."

"I'm not a prize and this isn't a game." She muttered and felt a cold wind at her back. Spinning around, her eyes filled once again of the night as the vampire had disappeared. With a soft sigh, the beautiful fairy moved quickly into the Southern forest to catch up with her familiars.

It wasn't long before the Fae Queen met up with the others. Her eyes flew open in surprise as she witnessed the three werewolves being quickly drug in her direction by Rei, Endymion, and Jou. Quickly running to their sides, she cast her eyes upon the now transformed wolves that held their hands over their canine-like ears howling in excruciating pain.

"What's going on?" Serenity asked worriedly.

"I'm not sure," Ra roared in confusion, "Seto-"

"It's a sound trap!" The Wolf King gasped as he writhed in torment. "Damn it!" He screeched.

"Ah, I understand now," Ra breathed, "Wolves can hear sounds at higher frequencies. This dwarf must be expecting people to come after him and set up traps." Serenity cast her eyes remorsefully upon the injured weres.

"Where are the vampires?" Rei asked suspiciously aloud. The Dragon King nodded his head in the direction of a small looking cottage in the near distance.

"I see them waiting outside." Ra turned his almond shaped red eyes to Serenity. "I'll look after them while they get the ringing out of their ears you all go ahead. But before you go-"

A blue light suddenly appeared upon the dragon's forehead that beamed down into the angelic fairy's palm. When the ray disappeared, a shiny golden bracelet decorated beautifully with deep blue sapphires remained in its place.

"I don't have much of my collection on me I'm afraid," the dragon explained as he met Serenity's eyes which rivaled the sapphires' color. "But it's the nicest piece I have. He may not be receptive to a bargain but everyone knows a dwarf can hardly resist treasure, especially gold."

"I can't accept this, Ra. I know how much your riches mean to you." The Fae Queen spoke tenderly. Ra merely shook his head. Most dragons, while some pursued it to unhealthy addiction, loved to collect hordes of humans' precious metals and jewels and the great Dragon King was no exception.

"The map is more important, as is your safety." He responded considerately. Serenity smiled and quickly attached the beautiful band to her wrist.

"I promise we'll find you a treasure even more beautiful before this is over with!" She replied with a smile. As the fairies and humans turned and began walking toward the small dwarf dwelling, Jou paused to toss his glance upon the writhing Seto.

"I guess it's a good day to be some kind of idiot," he snapped toward him, to which Seto returned his infuriated, albeit, painful glare. Smirking, Jou's cased silver sword appeared within his hand and he swung it over his back as he quickly caught up with his sister.

The four approached cautiously where they witnessed the scantily clad vampiress hovering at the cottage's door. Softly rapping on the wooden door, the tall blonde caressed it with her fingertips.

"Come on now, invite me inside and I'll make all your wildest dreams come true." Mai's voice rang in sexual undertone. When after several moments no response came the vampire howled in anger and raptly kicked a boot-sized hole within the door's center. Whirling around she paid brief regard to the arrivals before storming toward where Yami stood a few yards away from the entrance in furor.

"I'll burn this place down to force him out!" She screeched. Not bothering to look at her, the Vampire King studied the fingernails of his left hand intently.

"And what of the _paper _object we're here to collect?" He spoke finally sending his disapproving gaze upon her. The angry blonde responded with a low snarl from the base of her throat.

"Why can't you force open the door?" Jou suddenly asked as he earned her angry violet eyes.

"Vampires can't just waltz into a private residence, thankfully," Endymion spoke earning the Fairy Prince's attention. "They have to be invited inside."

"Private _human _residence," Yami corrected as he flashed a small smirk to Serenity who stood at her brother's side.

"But he's a _dwarf_!" Mai bellowed.

"Then there's something you're not considering," the red-eyed vampire commented.

"And you know this?" The feminine vampire hissed. He merely chuckled softly as his gaze followed Serenity's movement as she made way to the door.

Elegant in her quiet steps, the Royal bent her knees slightly to curiously peer into the hole of the door. Squinting her eyes, the view was considerably obscured as she could barely make out the side of a wooden desk. Suddenly, a pair of angry blue eyes appeared on the other side of the door and almost sent her toppling over backward.

"What do you want? Go away!" A furious and nasal sounding voice demanded from the person within the house.

"I was told you are in possession of a map given to you by Shimon," Serenity spoke gently, "My friends and I need you to give it to us. We are on a very urgent mission-" her speech was interrupted by an unimpressed snort.

"Shimon told me you people would come. He even said the _Fae Queen_ would flutter down to Earth on her magical fairy wings to collect it from me." His shrill voice broke into a cackle as Serenity narrowed her gaze.

"Is that really so impossible to believe?" She asked. More laughter came from the break in the door.

"Oh it gets better!" The man roared in amusement, "He said that if I didn't cooperate either the Vampire or Werewolf King would most likely kill me! That half-breed has completely lost his marbles!" Serenity stood upright and took a few long steps backward away from the door.

"_I _am the Fae Queen," The blond fairy spoke regally.

"You're lying!" The hidden voice accused. A sudden and intense bright light shining through the door's injury caused the man to quickly shield his eyes.

"How do you know?" Serenity's voice rang sweet in challenge. The Fae Queen stood straight feeling all eyes upon her as she kept her vision transfixed upon the silent door.

"Wow," Endymion muttered under his breath and flinched when he heard a small creak escape from the entrance. Serenity focused on the partially visible creature in the doorway. Confirming him a dwarf from his short stature she caught a glimpse of teal hair and blue eyes swollen in utter amazement. He pushed his large, golden rimmed glasses closer to his face as his jaw dropped open.

Serenity prevailed before the door bathed in a soft pale aura that radiated warmly from her flawless and milky skin. Her long golden locks absorbed a silver hue from the light fashioning it an almost metallic-like shine. The woman now shone in a royal and angelic appearance where before, at first glance, she had appeared to be a normal plain-clothed human. Smiling softly toward the dwarf, the most convincing evidence in her favor stemmed from her back with a pair of butterfly-thin, translucent and sparkling wings.

"Uh," the dwarf stuttered as he closed the door so no more than a crack was visible. "The Fairy Queen may enter, but only her! I have plenty of weapons and traps inside and I'll attack anyone else who comes in!" He announced through the sliver of space. Jou quickly rushed to Serenity's side.

"No freakin' way are you going in there alone!" he ordered in earnest. Before the Royal could protest she sensed another figure clouded in a halo of blackness at her opposite side. Turning her head she stared into the profile of Yami's masculine jaw. Following his line of sight he sent the silently observing dwarf a vow of torment with one look from his bloody eyes. Not taking his gaze away from the quaking door he slowly leaned his head down near Serenity's ear.

"If worse should come to worst ask him where he keeps the map," he whispered almost inaudibly. Serenity caught his eyes questioningly. His cold crimson depths momentarily held a sliver of emotion as he looked into her ambient blues. "I'll be listening," he sang quietly.

The Fairy Queen's mystical wings disappeared as she cautiously walked through the open door where it was quickly slammed behind her. Casting her eyes down toward the culprit, he quickly scuttled to the dimly lit entrance of another room where his teal hair was cut in a bowl-style around his head. His dress was simple with a green jacket covering his torso and blue pants upon his legs.

"This way, your majesty," the blue haired dwarf snickered as he pointed into the other room. Filing behind the strange creature that came to her waist in height she entered the candle lit space. A sharp yelp escaped her lungs and she covered her mouth in horror upon seeing the room. The place appeared like a normal sitting area, albeit very dusty and unkempt, save a fully intact skeleton that was seated in one of the dirt covered and upholstered chairs.

"Heh heh heh," the minute man laughed nasally as he spied her alarm. "That's the human who lives here. He does a very good job keeping vampires away especially because he's too dead to be tricked into inviting them in!" He chortled almost evilly. Taking a seat on an old brown sofa he indicated for her to do the same in the wooden chair just across from him. Serenity visibly contained her discomfort as she slowly sat down.

"What is your name?" she asked politely.

"Weevil," the man replied, "was that red-eyed man out there really the Vampire King?" he asked sounding somewhat concerned.

"Yes," Serenity answered concisely. The peculiar dwarf fiddled with his hands nervously.

"It's a good thing he cannot get in then!" Weevil guffawed with a malevolent grin.

"Weevil," The Royal spoke in a political tone, "Please give me the map Shimon gave to you. It is very important as the world could be in very grave danger." The dwarf shifted around in his seat uncomfortably. With a wide smirk he crossed his arms across his small chest.

"I would be willing to hand the map over to you, since you are the Queen and all," the short man said, "for a price," he added with an ever growing grin. Casting her eyes to the bracelet around her wrist she sighed reluctantly, promising to herself once more to replace her friend's precious treasure. Gently unclasping the band she held it out to the devilish creature.

"This jewelry piece is a precious family heirloom as it used to belong to my mother the Old Fae Queen," she lied eloquently, "its priceless." The dwarf's framed eyes lit up in incredible greed as he quickly snatched the gold from her fingertips.

"I knew that map was worth more than all my other treasures! Especially if you'd be willing to give up this for it!" His irking voice cackled. A sudden wickedness flew across his features as he eyed the poker faced Queen. "I'm not sure if it'll be enough for the map though, since it _is _so valuable." Serenity sighed internally as she mentally went over the inventory she had brought with her and wondered if she had packed any jewelry.

"I'll give you the map for the bracelet and-" Weevil paused as he slowly stretched out his puny hand and rested it upon her leg just above the knee, "something else." He spoke with a lewd grin stretched across his mouth.

Serenity's muscles froze as the feel of the lustful man's hand upon her sent her blood into a boil. There weren't many instances within the peaceful Queen's one thousand years of life that the woman had felt the absolute fury she experienced now. The royal blue of her eyes slowly drained of their color taking on a silver hue as she bore her stormy gaze into the smiling creature. She had hoped to walk out of the cottage with the map through a peaceful solution but all she could think about was the wicked intending words of her former vampire lover surface in her thoughts.

_I'll be listening._

"Weevil," Serenity spoke coldly using all of her will to not flinch beneath his hand, "Where do you keep the map?" The man's eyes narrowed as she intently watched his gaze. She could almost see it; the man's thoughts rolling through his memory and reminding him where he had stored the precious item.

"Why in the hell would I tell you that?" The dwarf snarled. Suddenly a loud noise filled the house as the front door was shattered and torn from its hinges. Serenity quickly slapped Weevil's hand away from her leg and sent her black boot into the creature's chest upon standing. As he curled over howling in pain she bound from the room spotting Endymion and Jou make their way into a different room with swords drawn.

"Watch out!" Serenity yelled as she spied a large axe swing from the ceiling as they had activated some sort of trap upon entering the room. Jou quickly shoved Endymion out of the way as the huge double sided axe shattered the wooden floor between them. An enraged scream from the dwarf poured in from the other side of the small house.

"It's in the Atlas on the bookshelf!" Endymion announced toward her, "Go look for it and I'll hold him off!" Jou sprang to his feet and quickly and ran alongside his sibling. Stopping before the bookshelf they shifted their eyes desperately and quickly across the hundreds of books that were contained within it.

Endymion readied his sword and grimaced as he watched the dwarf barrel down the narrow hallway wielding a sharply studded mace that was almost as large as he. With a battle cry, the infuriated Weevil swung the heavy weapon in the Earth King's direction. The human grunted as he narrowly dodged the deadly device that went whooshing by him. Endymion quickly swung his sword toward his enemy and chopped at the wooden handle that sent the metal from the mace flying across the room and splintering the wall. Weevil cursed as he quickly lunged for the axe with the King in hot pursuit.

"There's so many!" Jou howled as he began throwing books confirmed not to be the Atlas to the ground.

Serenity turned her head in worry as she observed the dwarf charging her human companion with the double sided axe. Suddenly, a dark figure appeared in the doorway to the room and sent a burst of fire flying toward the teal haired demon. The flames struck the dwarf's hand eliciting him to send his weapon spinning across the floor in a wail of pain. Turning back to the shelf her eyes suddenly fell upon a large green book with "Atlas" written down the spine. Quickly grabbing the book she opened it and pulled a thin, folded and golden-hued piece of parchment from between the pages. Shoving the paper into Jou's hands she gave him a look that told of her plan and bolted to the exit of the room.

"Serenity!" Jou screamed after her. Rushing past Endymion she sent the furious dwarf a smirk as she ran beyond him.

"Give me my map!" The dwarf screamed furiously and stormed after her.

"Run!" Serenity ordered of Rei who quickly stepped out of her way.

"I'll cover you!" Rei blurted out and called upon a fire attack. She gasped when the powerful dwarf rammed her into the doorframe; smashing the wood into pieces at the back of her body. The Fae Queen sprinted through the doorway into the cold night air as Weevil followed her completely blinded in rage.

"That map is-" Weevil screamed but was cut off as his back was slammed into the cold ground. His eyes lit up in terror as he looked into a pair of hungry amethyst eyes. The blonde showed her fangs to him in delight.

"Your blood is mine!" She screamed toward her conquest.

* * *

THANKS to: **Sesshy's Mistress, Artemis Day, Serena-hime, dark-wolf-howl, Anexya, Sakura Waldorf, SailorVmoon1311815, Saris Yui, **and **moon-guardian369 **for reviewing last time!

What did you think? Finally some action! This chapter is a two parter (it turned out to be very long!) so here's the deal: in an effort to encourage feedback (yay! Comments are the "ink" to my "pen") I'll upload the next chapter as soon as I see it gets 10 reviews! If it doesn't get there I'll upload it next Sunday (2/20)! Incentives, right? ^^ Feel free to let me know however you feel: liked it, hated it, etc.

Thanks SO much to everyone who read and even greater thanks to those who reviewed! See ya next time!


	5. A Map to Nowhere II

The Ostiary

Kochou-hime

**All characters belong to their respective owners.**

A Map to Nowhere

"Mai," Yami's voice sounded scoldingly as Endymion, Rei, and Jou quickly exited the house. The female vampire looked in discontent upon the proclaimed Vampire King. "Now, since this is Shimon's friend perhaps we should show him a little," he paused as he walked toward where the woman straddled the damned creature precariously, "restraint," he finished thickly.

"Are you alright Queen Serenity?" The fairy turned her exhausted gaze to the quietly spoken Hotaru who looked upon her worriedly. Giving her a quick nod she returned her vision to the others.

"Rei!" Jou walked up beside the woman who had been slammed into the wall. "Are you hurt? How's your back?" As he reached his hand out to touch her the raven haired woman smacked it away.

"I'm fine!" She bit and promptly turned away from him.

With a grumble, Mai crouched and pulled the dwarf to his feet as she stood. She smirked down toward him as the weasel-like dwarf cowered before her.

"I actually feel kind of sorry for you little guy," the blonde vampire taunted as she moved to readjust the glasses on his face, "I was just going to make you my dinner but now you're _really _in trouble."

"What?" he squeaked when suddenly she spun him around and shoved him forward. Immediately tripping and crumbling to the ground, he gasped while staring into a pair of black leather boots. Slowly lifting his gaze upward he squealed upon catching a glimpse of hateful red eyes. Quickly coming to his knees he lowered his head.

"Please don't kill me! I'll do anything you ask. Spare me, I beg of you!" Weevil cried. Serenity's face flooded with worry as she quickly stepped up to the vampires and the dreadful dwarf.

"Yami," She spoke quietly. He tossed a mirthful gaze to her and smirked.

"Relax Serenity," he buzzed calmly toward her, "restraint," the vampire reminded. Reaching his hand down he gripped on the collar of the small man's jacket and put him on his feet. Steadying his gaze upon him he crossed his powerful arms across his chest.

"First, you're going to acknowledge that we have succeeded in liberating the map from you and you're not going to give us anymore trouble." Yami spoke in baritone. The dwarf quickly nodded his head vigorously.

"Say it!" The vampire barked.

"You all win, I lose!" He cried out desperately and weakly smiled searching for approval.

"Good, second of all, you're going to give me the bracelet the Fae Queen gave you." He spoke again. Ripping the gold piece from his pocket the dwarf seemed to not even question how the interrogator knew about the item. Turning toward to Serenity apologetically, he froze when he heard a snarl rip from the vampire.

"I said give it to _me_," Yami seethed. Weevil quickly turned and thrust the golden object into the threatening man's open palm. Pocketing the item, Yami crouched down to eye level of the nervous dwarf. Serenity felt an icy chill float across her skin as something about the normally malicious vampire's actions seemed off.

"Well, I guess that's everything," Yami spoke lowly, "you admittedly could have been a bit more cooperative but I suppose there's no harm done." He said forgivingly and offered out his hand.

Casting his terrified gaze upon the hand, the dwarf finally released a relieved sigh as he accepted the gesture with a smile. As soon as Weevil's appendage touched his, the vampire quickly closed his hand down viciously upon the dwarf's, easily crushing his bones. The defiant creature screamed in torment as Yami held his powerful iron grip. The maddened vampire displayed his teeth in a snarl as his eyes glowed in pupil-less orbs of inflamed red.

"Now you're going to run away as fast and as far as your weak, little body will take you," Yami's voice ripped savagely, "because I'm going to come looking for you and _when_ I find you" his voice fell into a threatening whisper, "you'll wish I had let Mai tear out your throat." As soon as he let go of his hand the crying dwarf took off into the woods cradling the broken appendage. The vampire stood completely and straightened the cuffs on his jacket, promptly ignoring the looks of horror he received from everyone but Mai who appeared disappointed.

"Let's get back to the others," Serenity breathed after several moments and nodded away from the destroyed cottage. The group traveled silently. Turning her gaze to her brother and Rei she inwardly worried about their mental state as violence wasn't a situation any fairy was accustomed to witnessing or being involved in. Her thoughts were interrupted by a gleeful humming that approached to her side. Yami set his stride in motion with hers. The terrifying monster she had witnessed injuring Weevil moments ago was now gone as the suave and calm man moved alongside her. Digging into his pocket he retrieved the golden bracelet and delicately lifted Serenity's wrist. Coming to a stop she tossed him an irritated look as he paused alongside her.

"The gold belongs to Ra," Serenity protested. Lifting his gaze from the jewels to her eyes he smirked as he gently wrapped the item around and clasped it onto her without looking.

"Really? And what of that little story you told our dear friend back there?" He asked mischievously as he looked to her wrist to admire his handiwork. "No offense to Ra but it looks much lovelier on you," the vampire charmed.

"I had hoped that inflating its value would assuage the situation," Serenity explained. The man chuckled.

"Lying and striking people? My, my, my how things change over a thousand years," Yami spoke provokingly with his teasing crimson gaze. Serenity expelled her breath and narrowed her blue eyes.

"And how things don't change," She retorted, "especially when it comes to your ability to show _restraint_." Pulling back her hand she began walking again now seeing Ra and the recovered wolves near.

"I was restrained," Yami commented coolly as he walked leisurely beside her, "usually when someone puts their hands on something that belongs to _me_ they tend to wind up in pieces." Serenity snapped her angry eyes to him in dissent of his veiled remark while he flashed a cavalier grin.

"Uh guys," Jou's voice caught everyone's attention as the group finally arrived where Ra and the werewolves waited. "This thing is blank!" He announced waving the peculiar colored map in front of him. Seto groaned loudly as Serenity quickly approached her brother with a wry smile.

"It's not blank," she spoke as he handed her the precious piece of paper. Unfolding it widely she gently laid it on the ground and fell to a crouch as she stared carefully toward the blank surface. Giving a quick glance to her younger sibling who looked over her shoulder she grinned. "It just takes a special touch." Her index finger became engulfed in a pale white glow and as soon as she placed it against the center of the mysterious object a variety of black inked symbols materialized where it was once blank.

"What does it say?" Jou asked curiously. Scanning her eyes over the text, an old and dead fae language neither Rei nor her brother would be familiar with, she sat back into a cross-legged position thoughtfully.

"It's a riddle," she spoke squinting toward the text.

"Of course it is," Ra breathed with a large sigh as he moved behind Serenity.

"Please, share," Yami rumbled with a confident smile.

"Sharp at both ends and covered in gold. The new King heralds it in a place so dark and so old. He'll never surrender it for his pride is a chore. Yet this and only this will open the door." Serenity's voice rang hauntingly.

"How is that a direction to a place?" The one introduced as Honda muttered to himself. The group remained silent for a few minutes when Yami suddenly broke into a low chuckle.

"It appears the road to Babylonia is through Kalseru," The Vampire King spoke assuredly. Seto whirled and turned to his rival with a glare.

"How do you figure? Last time I checked Noah has ruled that country for nearly a hundred years. He's not exactly a _new _King." He argued.

"Depending on your definition, a hundred years to someone say," the vampire grinned, "like me, _is _new. It fits the description perfectly. From what I hear of him, he wouldn't give up his precious axe unless someone pried it from his cold, _dead _fingers." He said appearing delighted by the idea. Ra groaned loudly.

"_More _dwarves," the dragon fell back upon his hind legs in exasperation.

"The axe that killed the dragon that lived within mountain," Serenity whispered quietly, "the _golden _axe."

"Bingo," Yami hummed in response.

"Eh?" Jou asked as he looked at his sister for an explanation.

"Kalseru is a Kingdom buried within a mountain. They say thousands of years ago a single dwarf slayed the dragon who lived there and claimed it for his people. The dwarves believe the axe to be a sacred talisman and they keep it somewhere deep within the city." Serenity spoke. "Without it the map won't guide us to Babylonia."

"I hate dwarves," Ra grumbled to himself piteously.

"So, after we collect this item the map will show us the way?" Rei confirmed. The Fae Queen sighed.

"Maybe, there could be several tasks. Babylonia is foretold to be a land created by the souls of Earth's past greatest warriors and this tool was magically designed to test the worth of the one who seeks it in intelligence, strength, and virtue." She attempted to explain. Jou's face fell. Leaning down he gripped upon her shoulders and shook her violently.

"Why in the heck did you lock this thing away in a place so hard to find." He whined.

"Cut it out!" Serenity grumbled while pushing him away from her seat, "he was never supposed to escape!"

"No one here seems to be concerned with how exactly we're going to barge into the mountain, infested with hundreds of thousands of war mongering dwarves and take the damn axe!" Seto roared. Pushing herself quickly to her feet Serenity tossed the Wolf King a glance.

"We should try to negotiate with him first. We'll explain the situation." She spoke resolutely earning a dark laugh from the tall man.

"Listen up your majesty," Seto's voice dripping with sarcasm, "the ways of Earth are the same as before if not more violently inclined than you may remember. They're not going to care that you're technically their queen or about how nice or pretty you are. This is a dog eat dog world and if you're not the strongest and willing to both take and fight for what you need, you're dead!"

"Hey!" Jou quickly leapt to stand by Serenity, "Don't talk to my sister like that!" He barked.

"You know, I really don't know what I was thinking when I suggested that Serenity bring reinforcements. I certainly would've encouraged her to come alone if I knew she'd bring a weakling like you." The tall werewolf taunted with a wide smirk.

"You don't even know me!" Jou roared and pulled his hands to fists at his sides.

"You're a coward. I can smell it." Seto grinned wider. Serenity opened her mouth to protest this argument when she was suddenly interrupted by another voice.

"It's funny you should question our ideals and call _us_ weak," Rei spoke as she stepped from behind her fellow fairies. "If I remember correctly you were on the ground whimpering while we were retrieving the map!" Seto's eyes lit up in an icy hatred as he shot a snarl toward the brazen woman.

"Touché," The sultry Mai purred with a laugh.

"Isn't that the point of all this? All of us working together?" Endymion spoke suddenly and promptly cutting off an angry retort from Seto to the vampiress. "We all have different strengths and weaknesses but if we work as a whole and help each other we can make it to this place and stop Zorc if he is in fact free and trying to kill us all."

"Here, here!" Ra spoke in agreement, "You'll be my hero, human, if you can manage to talk some sense into this motley crew. If we could just get along this would be so much easier." The dragon nodded.

"What a profound observation Endymion," Yami sneered catching the man's cold blue-eyed stare. "Could you inform me exactly what _strengths_ you bring to the table? Because, I'm having a hard time coming up with any myself," the insulted King frowned, but said nothing as he reached into the side of his jacket and pulled out a bound stack of papers.

"This," he said as he unlatched the leather binding. Serenity looked on in curiosity as he retrieved a single folded piece from the stack and stepped to hand it to Seto. Violently snatching the object from his hands, the were growled as he unfolded and scanned his eyes across the parchment. Looking over his shoulder, Anzu's mouth dropped open in distress.

"Where did you get this?" Seto demanded casting his furious gaze upon the human. Again saying nothing, he reached into the stack and handed another document to Serenity. Quickly opening it her eyes squinted in confusion.

"This is a perfect charter of Old Land Fae, the Palace, surrounding forests, everything" she whispered regarding him with her questioning gaze. "Why would Diamond give you this?"

"He didn't," Endymion spoke ominously.

"Maps of territories, wolf population estimates, artillery evaluations," Seto roared as he gripped the map savagely within his fist. "With specs like these I can only assume you were planning on starting a war, human!" The King stood rigidly as he narrowed his gaze toward the wolf.

"A few months ago some of my men found a dwarf snooping around the Eastern territory of Elysion," Endymion explained, "and we discovered these on his person." He said pointing to the documents in his hands. "Wolf regions across the continent, elf secret military bases, a thorough and a scarily accurate depiction of Elysion and its army," Endymion sighed.

"Those dwarves are imperialist fiends," Ra spoke begrudgingly. "I know my opinion may be biased but it's true. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Noah was behind this. Dwarf armies from Kalseru and the like have been taking down dragons quite efficiently over the past century."

"So, what's the point?" Yami snarled. "The dwarves are planning a war; how does that get us the axe?"

"It gives us all the more reason to burn Kalseru to the ground!" Seto howled angrily to the vampire, "As far as I'm concerned," The Wolf King threw the map to the grass and stomped his boot on it, "they've already declared it!"

"Fool," the vampire hissed, "you're being distracted from what's important. If Zorc is really free it won't really matter who knows what!" Yami bellowed. "Because we'll _all _be dead!"

"I've been around you for less than a day and I already want to kill you!" Seto shrieked as he quickly transformed as his companions followed suit.

"Bring it on, mongrels," Mai hissed as she crouched down low. Yami stood his ground and narrowed ferocious red eyes upon his sworn enemy.

"You are certainly welcome to try, Seto," he spoke appearing almost unnaturally cool.

"Stop!" Endymion shouted, "this is what will help us get the axe," he said holding up a particular piece of parchment. "This is a map of Kalseru." Quickly handing the document to Serenity she peered upon it in amazement.

"Why in the hell would a scout be carrying specs on his own country?" Seto growled, now distracted from his previous anger.

"It's encrypted," Serenity said looking confusedly upon the page, "I don't recognize this language at all."

"I tried to translate it myself as I did the others," Hotaru spoke up as she looked toward the Fairy Queen, "I am an expert in many languages but I've never seen that one."

"That's because it's very old," a low voice rumbled near Serenity's ear. She froze as she spied a lazy spike of Yami's golden hair in her peripheral view as he peered over her shoulder. Moving his arm around her he moved his fingers across the peculiar symbols on the map.

"Do you recognize it?" Serenity asked quietly.

"I know it well," he responded seriously, "the question is, how would the writer have?"

"What is it?"

"Egyptian."

* * *

Serenity sighed. Looking toward the great fire that roared just a few yards away she silently laughed to herself at the sight of Yami and Seto arguing over the piece of parchment. Turning her gaze, she spotted Ra where he lay calmly on his stomach with his head resting on the ground. Pulling up her sleeve, she liberated the golden jewelry from her wrist and approached the great dragon with a smile.

"Yami retrieved the bracelet for you," she spoke sweetly as she held out the treasure in her palm. Ra's eyes widened happily in the peculiar way he smiled.

"Thank you," he spoke graciously as the blue light from his head appeared again and acquired the precious item. "I take it from the ruckus I heard Shimon's friend is no more?" Ra asked delicately.

"He's alive." Serenity turned her gaze slightly to the fire noticing the wide smirk on Yami's face as he looked toward Seto speaking heatedly toward him. Ra chuckled softly to himself.

"Ah, you always did bring out the best in him," the great beast breathed, "Yami would probably give you the world if you asked him." Serenity shot the Dragon King an irritated look and he sighed apologetically.

"He still destroyed the creature's hand and sent him on the run scared for his life." She pointed out.

"You can't ever completely transform a lion into a lamb," Ra spoke wisely, "but I'll be damned if he letting that little demon live isn't anything short of a miracle. You don't remember him like I knew him before you came along."

"I remember," Serenity's voice rang ominously internally begging for a subject change. "Do you think they've worked out a plan?"

"Well," the dragon rumbled with a yawn, "They certainly haven't killed each other yet, but perhaps we should get an update." With a nod the two walked toward the fire.

"There appears to be mazes of tunnels surrounding the throne room. A security measure I'm sure." Yami's low voice rang as he pointed to the map.

"They're probably harvesting metals also. There's no sun within the mountain so the dwarves work day and night," Seto responded and moved his piercing blue eyes to stare and grin at the vampire. "The workers will have lanterns. So it looks like your little ability to travel through walls in the darkness will be useless." The wolf sneered.

"Not useless, but limited, yes," Yami smirked as he caught his rival's eyes. "Try not to sound so jealous of me dear friend, it's really not very becoming of you."

"I'd rather be _dead_ than be you," Seto snarled. The Vampire King chuckled.

"That can be arranged," he spoke amusingly. The were grit his teeth as his gaze burned furiously.

"Make no mistake blood-sucker," he seethed, "as soon as this stupid quest is over with it'll be you versus me and I _will _have my revenge."

"Revenge against what, dog? I thought I was being merciful when I saved your life." Yami replied tauntingly.

"I should have died that day! It's your fault he's dead!" Seto growled lowly. The vampire threw back his head and rolled in laughter.

"How unusual, because if I remember correctly it wasn't _my_ fangs that claimed his life." He responded icily with a hardened crimson gaze.

"So," Serenity's voice interrupted the encounter as both turned their eyes to where Ra and the Queen approached, "what's the plan?" Tossing Seto a warning glance, the vampire pulled out a gold pocket watch from his jacket and flipped it open to look at the time.

"We'll have to extend this to tomorrow evening," Yami spoke as he flipped the item's lid shut and came to a stand, "the sun will be up in a few hours." Seto followed suit and crossed his arms.

"Fine," he growled and turned away from them. Making a peculiar growling noise, the two other wolves suddenly appeared from where they were invisible in the woods. "We'll meet here again at sunset." Without another word, the werewolves bound quickly away into the darkness.

"You should return to Elpis to sleep," Serenity turned her gaze to the vampire's alluring scarlet eyes. "I would invite you to visit one of my homes instead but you look so tired and I'd feel terrible keeping you awake _all_ day long," he spoke with a fanged grin. Serenity turned a lovely shade of red as Ra could barely withhold his laughter where he stood behind her.

"We've decided to camp out here," Serenity spoke while promptly ignoring the man's suggestive statement and pointing to a few white tents that shone in the moonlight. Yami's face told of his displeasure as he lifted his upper lip in distaste.

"I'll stay out here with them," Ra popped into the conversation. "The fresh air will do me good and I don't smell anything threatening for miles, well, besides you." The dragon spoke airily as he flared his nostrils into the air. The Vampire King chuckled as he quickly leaned in beside Serenity's ear.

"Well then, goodnight Serenity," he lulled in a whisper and had disappeared before the woman could even think of responding.

After containing the built fires, the exhausted humans and fairies traveled to the two white tents Jou had thankfully thought to bring in his subspace satchel.

"Good night Ra," Serenity bid the dragon as she reached for the linen flap at the tent's entrance. Sighing softly, she stared toward her familiars. Rei laid curled in a fetal position as far as she could get from Jou leaving a wide area between the dark haired woman and her currently snoring sibling. Shaking her head, the Queen flopped down in the open space and welcomed the sleep that took over her worried mind and fatigued body.

A pair of feral red eyes blazed into the night as they stared obsessively toward a particular cloud-colored tent that sat within a clearing in the forest. The wind blew through the silent evening, rustling the leaves of the trees as the quiet predator watched patiently from where he leaned calmly against a large wooden trunk.

"What is it, Mai?" Yami asked suddenly, his voice dark but hushed as he refused to tear his eyes away from where the Fae Queen slept.

"I'm bored," the blonde vampire growled as she made her appearance known from the still trees in the forest. "And hungry." She sounded blood-thirsty with a displeased rumble from her throat.

"You're how old now? Six hundred or so? I would think you would have figured out how to take care of yourself by now." The Vampire King spoke still barely acknowledging her presence.

"Five hundred and thirty three," she corrected while strolling just behind him. "What's the story anyway? I've never seen you act like this, why are you so infatuated with her?" The elder vampire chose not to dignify her with a response as he held his gaze as still as a statue carved from granite. Hissing softly, she crossed her arms and sulked. After several moments of silence, a fanged grin appeared upon the woman's face.

"Yami," the woman whispered, "what does fairy blood taste like?" Quickly snapping his attention to her, his ruby red eyes fell upon her in admonishment.

"What?" Mai grumbled, "after all you've said about how I should go get whatever I want when I want it you now tell me I have to behave? I understand how it wouldn't be prudent to kill them," Mai smirked seductively toward his unwavering gaze. "But can't I have a tiny, little taste?" her voice rang sweetly.

"Mai," he spoke turning his body toward her and focusing his glowing red gaze. "Perhaps I wasn't clear when we discussed this matter before," taking a step toward the outspoken female she instinctively moved slowly backwards. Suddenly, the woman's back was thrust into the trunk of a large tree as Yami's hand clamped down upon her mouth. Muffled screams wailed into his palm as the King brought torturous pain upon the woman with his mysterious dark power. The glowing Eye of Horus shined upon his forehead as he looked murderously into the vampire's panicked amethyst eyes.

"If you harm one hair on Serenity's head," Yami seethed with fangs bared, "I will kill you." Releasing her from his power and grip, Mai slowly slid to the ground along the tree breathing heavily.

"I wouldn't, I would never!" She heaved as the mighty vampire turned his gaze back to the tent. "I meant the male."

"I don't care who you bite, as long as it's not _her_," he growled lowly. Fidgeting with his pocket, Mai slowly stood as she watched the restless man.

"Is this what you're going to do until the sun comes up? Stare at where she sleeps?" The blonde questioned. He stood appearing bristled, pulsing in anger as he glared into the night.

"You're thinking about that little dwarf you let go," Mai smiled wickedly as he breathed out a sigh. "The Vampire King is so merciful. I'm sure she likes that." The vampiress whispered sounding delighted.

"Showing a certain amount of _restraint_ was necessary to respect Shimon's wishes," he spoke quietly.

"Bullshit," Mai muttered, "what did he do?" She asked softly. "Did he hurt her?" Yami's lips pulled into a snarl as he turned to face the taunting woman.

"Did he touch her? What _was _he thinking about? After all, even I have to admit the Fairy Queen is quite the fetching woman." The male vampire's gaze lit up in primal fury as a snarl ripped from his throat.

"Calling her that is an insult, she's _perfect_." He hissed toward her, "Oh Mai, if only you knew what I want to do to that man right now. He'd be begging me to end his life before I was through with him."

"Oh?" The woman asked with a smile. Yami smirked.

"I really can't think of a good reason to forgive him. Those lewd thoughts he had about her. He d_eserves _to suffer." He spoke sounding ever more delighted with every word. Pulling out his watch he looked toward it with an ill-intending grin. "There's two hours until sunrise, I think we could find him by then as he couldn't have gotten far."

"What about all this talk about restraint?" Mai questioned with an eyebrow raised. Chuckling quietly to himself, the vampire closed his watch and placed it back into his pocket.

"He had a whole evening longer to live than he deserved. _Restraint_, right?" With a pair of matching grins, the two vampires disappeared in pursuit of their prey.

* * *

Woo hoo! 11 reviews in one day? I'm impressed everyone! Thank you! As promised here was the second part!

THANKS to: **Serena-hime, dark-wolf-howl, Sesshy's Mistress, Queen B, Sakura Waldorf, Saris Yui, Artemis Day, Cosmic-lover, Yami Nocturna, moon-guardian369, **and **devafiend**!

Thanks again guys!


	6. An Axe of Gold

The Ostiary

Kochou-hime

**All characters belong to their respective owners.**

An Axe of Gold

The exalted Moon Queen had slumbered dreamlessly during the majority of the Sun's journey through the sky until its inviting warmth had finally lured her resting eyes to awaken. Sitting up into a kneel, she surprisingly felt refreshed even though sleeping within a tent nestled upon hard ground was not her preferred place of rest. Passing her gaze upon her still asleep companions she smirked as she looked at the snoring Jou and thanked her lucky stars she had been too exhausted for his nighttime noisiness to bother her. While the white linen tent had done a superb job blocking most of the sun, the tiny rays of golden light poking through its porous surface urged Serenity to greet the day while there was still time left. Pulling black boots over a pair of steel gray and fitted pants she left her jacket behind as she moved to the tent's opening in a black and thin strapped-tank.

The moment she stepped out into the land of old a wave of childhood memories washed over her. Although it had been so long ago that it seemed as if it were only a dream, she felt familiarity in the way the sun felt upon her skin. As a child she had often played among the tall grasses searching for colorful butterflies and glossy stones in the plentiful streams that surrounded Old Land Fae. Those days she had spent forever outdoors, under the great blue sky until her mother, the beautiful and loved Queen, would call. Nostalgia tugged at her heartstrings as she looked toward the sun as it began its descent from the sky. Serenity was amazed in all the time she had spent within the confines of Lucere that it still failed to feel like home. The Moon's atmosphere could not even hold a candle to the way the Earth embraced her being. Tossing a thoughtful look back to the tent, she grinned. There was no way she was going to let Rei and Jou sleep through the experience of Earth in the daytime.

"Rise and shine!" She announced cheerfully as she quickly tugged back the flaps of the tent and allowed the sunlight to pour into the once darkened area. Rei groggily sat up and rubbed her eyes, while Jou swatted at the bright light and pulled the blanket over his head. "Come on you two, the world is beautiful!"

After a few minutes of coaxing, the two fairies joined their queen in wonderment as they took in all the new sensations that surrounded them. Their stunned silence was suddenly interrupted by a large growl escaping Jou's stomach.

"Another beautiful moment ruined by Prince Jounouchi." Rei muttered grumpily. As if on cue Serenity's stomach rumbled too and she smiled sheepishly.

"Aw c'mon Rei! I'm starvin'! Hey Bunny, what's good to eat around here?" The Fae Prince asked hopefully. Scanning the area, the blue-eyed fairy looked from Endymion and Hotaru's tent to the still slumbering Ra.

"Well there are several bushes just outside the clearing," Serenity pointed toward a wooded area, "I'm sure we can find some sort of nuts or fruit there before the sun sets!" She smiled. Grinning hopefully, Jou took off gleefully toward the green shrubbery and trees.

"You ladies stay right here I'll find food for us!" He announced triumphantly.

Humming as he poked around the greenery he looked upon a plump blue-hued berry. Quickly shoving the few handfuls of nuts he had gathered into his pockets he studied the fruit in interest.

"Hmmm," he said to himself when suddenly a quiet rustling sounded behind him. Whirling around his hazel eyes widened as two figures appeared before him in the dimly lit forest. Recognizing them immediately as Anzu and Honda, the two werewolves he had been introduced to the previous evening, he smiled.

"Heya!" Jou called to them with a wave. "Do any of you know whether or not these berries are safe to eat?" The pointy haired brunette scrunched his nose as he focused on the berries displayed in the fairy's hand.

"Why would you waste your time eating that crap? There are plenty of deer in this forest. I tracked at least four or five within a mile of here." Honda replied.

"Eh?" Jou asked appearing confused, "I thought a deer was an animal? Maybe I'm mistaken though." He shrugged. The werewolf appeared dumbfounded and looked upon the blonde as if he had grown a third eye.

"Look, Anzu and I just recently ate but if you need some help hunting we'd be happy to offer our assistance." Honda spoke once more. Jou's face grew pale as Anzu abruptly silenced her companion with a jab into his side.

"Don't mind him, your name's Jounouchi right?" The tall woman spoke pleasantly. "Those berries in your hand are called blueberries, and yes, they're safe to eat." She said with a smile.

"Thanks," the fairy replied, "and call me Jou!"

* * *

"Awake before you need to be, anymore changes in the Queen of the Fae I should be aware of?" A great voice rumbled. Serenity and Rei turned their eyes to greet Ra who approached them. The flaxen-haired royal smiled, she typically cherished her sleep and even in her older age and increased responsibility she was sometimes impossible to get out of bed.

"Just eager to catch a glimpse of Earth in the daylight, it's been a long time," she mused with a smile. Ra nodded as he sat back on his hind limbs.

"It appears as if you've all awakened," he observed as Endymion and Hotaru approached from their tent. Just to the West, Jou returned grinning happily carrying a sizable burlap bag as he was followed by the two werewolves who had accompanied Seto the night before.

"Dinner-er, breakfast, I guess, is served!" Jou announced heartily as he plopped down in the grass beside Serenity and Rei with his gatherings within the satchel. Serenity immediately sat beside her brother as Rei followed suit more gracefully. Relishing in the flavors of the wild berries and nuts she blushed upon her rudeness and looked to the others.

"Has everyone else eaten?" The Queen asked politely. The werewolves nodded.

"I should be fine for a few more days, thank you for your concern," Ra spoke kindly. Dragons often feasted in large quantities at one time and could go days, weeks even, without eating.

"We came prepared but are pleased to join you," Endymion sat down beside Serenity as Hotaru, too, kneeled on the ground and revealed stored food within her bag.

"I have some dried boar if any of you would care for some." Hotaru offered. Endymion coughed.

"Hotaru, they don't eat meat," he scolded as the dark haired girl blushed. Honda appeared astonished.

"Really? Fairies don't eat meat? How will you all acquire enough energy for this journey?" The werewolf asked dumbfoundedly.

"We'll manage." Rei scoffed as she slowly ate her fill of plant derived foods. Anzu stuck her elbow in Honda's side again as everyone finished their meals quietly.

Turning her eyes away from her companions, Serenity looked to the sky and felt an uneasiness wash across her as the orange hued sun kissed the horizon. Revealing a long blue jacket from her subspace satchel, she stood and readily pulled it on as a cold wind chilled her skin due to the Earth's source of warmth abandoning the sky. Yet again another sunset brought forth an ominous future. Tonight they would be embarking on a, most likely, very dangerous adventure to Kalseru to obtain the Golden Axe from within the heart of its city. Darkness settling upon the land also meant the dangerous creatures of the night would come lurking; searching for blood and flesh to feed their desires. One in particular haunted the Moon Queen's conflicted thoughts. A vampire with crimson eyes and a handsome face would join their party but not without bringing a set of hazy intentions along with him. The world became quieter as full darkness finally filled the sky.

"Apparently, I have impeccable timing." A gruff voice announced. Turning her head, Serenity's vision filled with the arrival of the towering Seto. His dark blue eyes were set narrowed, just beyond where she stood.

"It all depends on how you look at it," a familiar masculine voice sounded behind her. "Many beings have met unfortunate destinies upon my arrival, especially those I despise." Swinging her long golden locks as she turned to the voice, her eyes swelled with the prestige vision of Yami with Mai at his side. A half smile graced his features as he regarded her with his alluring stare. "However, I find myself in a most fantastic mood tonight so consider yourself lucky, wolf." He spoke while keeping his attention firmly focused on the pale blonde. Seto shook his head in annoyance.

"Idiot," he growled under his breath.

"Where did you run off to? I was surprised we beat you here." Anzu spoke as she and Honda approached their king.

"A lowly deer could hardly fill my appetite so I took down a male grizzly instead." Their proud leader replied haughtily.

"Was a whole bear enough to feed your ego, too?" Jou quickly jibed. Yami and Mai held in snickers as Seto smirked wickedly upon the Prince.

"You're still here? I had figured after realizing how worthless you are last night you would have flown back off to fairy land." Seto laughed. Jou went red in the face but before he could argue the great Ra cleared his throat.

"So, almighty war lords and battle tacticians, what's our grandiose plan for obtaining this axe?" The golden dragon asked, tongue-in-cheek. Folding his arms across his dark blue and high collared jacket, Seto shut his eyes in thought.

"We'll go to the mountain of Kalseru tonight," the werewolf began as his eyes fluttered open once more. "And we'll go inside to retrieve it; destroying any dwarfs or anyone else attempting to stop us."

"Really?" Endymion voiced sarcastically, "that's your grand plan? I'm guessing it didn't take you very long to come up with it."

"There's only one entrance into Kalseru and the caverns filled with lanterns ensure that the blood-sucking shadow walker," Seto thrust a finger in Yami's direction, "won't be able to get in any other way so if you have a better idea, I'm all ears." He finished with a growl.

"We will negotiate for the axe," Serenity spoke up, her tone serious. Seto grumbled in annoyance but was interrupted before he could protest.

"Not a bad idea," Yami declared on the fairy's behalf, to her surprise. "Bargaining with Noah could work under the right circumstances." He continued as he strolled beyond Mai and stopped just before the petite Queen. "I am concerned, however, about how threatening our little convoy may appear to the legion of weapon wielding dwarfs guarding the entrance." The vampire finished in almost a whisper.

Serenity felt her cheeks tinge pink as the magnificent man hovered over her. His hands casually tucked away within the pockets of his tailored black coat the vampire looked calmly upon her with scarlet hued eyes like red rubies in the night. He awaited an answer to his gentle inquiry with a crooked smile along his square set jaw.

"I'll go alone," the royal replied softly. Yami chuckled to himself.

"While I agree any creature on this Earth would be mad to find you anything but enchanting I don't think its wise to risk the safety of the ostiary to Zorc's prison." The ancient vampire pointed out.

"You can go with me." Serenity breathed without thinking. Her sapphire orbs widened upon realizing her suggestion as the King revealed a wide and fang filled grin.

"You wish for me to accompany you to Kalseru and defend you from any ill-intending adversaries?" He reiterated appearing ever-pleased. Serenity froze.

"Wait, I-" She stuttered as the idea of journeying anywhere alone with the tempting immortal suddenly seemed jeopardous .

"Why Serenity, I think that's a fantastic plan." He rolled, "Seto, are we in accord? We'll try this first before plundering into Kalseru?" His red eyes gleamed as he smirked toward the irritated wolf. Serenity turned away from the vampire to face the King as well.

"And if the nearly two hundred dwarfs who guard the entrance should decide to attack you? What will you do then? Can you kill them all and still protect her?" Seto barked indignantly. Yami's red eyes grew wide as a telling grin swarmed his features. Sliding his hand to fall upon Serenity's far shoulder he looked squarely into Seto.

"I am confident in my ability to get both her majesty and I to safety perfectly unscathed _if _suchan event should occur_," _he replied. Seto's angry gaze suddenly faded as a small smirk played across his face.

"Fine, if you really want to waste your time go ahead, but if it doesn't work we're going with plan B." The Werewolf King spoke decisively.

"No!" Rei shouted firmly as she stepped up to Serenity and the infamous vampire. Retracting his hand, a brief flicker of ire passed through his red eyes before he cast his cool gaze upon the fiery fairy. "Jou and I are here to assist with this mission _and _protect our queen. As we have the sole invested interest in her safety she should remain with us." Serenity opened her mouth to speak but Yami's voice sounded first.

"There's an exclusive list of those with invested interest in Serenity's well being?" the vampire asked aloud. "By all means, please add me as well." He spoke charmingly as Rei 's eyes widened in question.

"Is this really alright, Bunny?" Serenity tossed her gaze toward her outspoken sibling. Jou appeared bewildered, obviously harboring concern with allowing his older sister to leave their guardianship and with a vampire no less. Blinking, the Queen looked toward her former lover. He regarded her with an expecting arch of his brow as she turned to her brother with a soft smile.

"The peaceful solution is always the best one," the pigtailed blonde said resolutely, "and as far as being safe, I can assure you Yami is good at what he does." She finished dryly and laughed within at the ironic and absolute truth behind her statement. Nodding, Jou turned to Rei who visibly burned with outward fury at his passiveness.

"If there's anyone on the Earth or Moon I trust its my sister, be careful sis," The Fae Prince revealed a thumbs up as the brunette fairy angrily turned away and crossed her arms. The royal fairy shuddered as she felt a gentle hand fall to her back. Looking beside her, she focused on the man with tri-colored hair as he nodded directionally to where the sun would once again rise. Toward the East and into the thick forest the pair strode as Serenity couldn't help but feel apprehension upon this most recent venture.

A glimmer of worry flickered in the Fae Prince's fawn colored eyes as he watched his only sibling travel out of sight and into the dark and foliage-thick covered forest. At the sound of a feminine laugh he turned to stare into the face of the smiling Mai.

"Relax," she spoke playfully. "Your worrying is cute but I can absolutely promise you Yami will make sure nothing happens to the famed Serenity." Jou blushed lightly at the beautiful vampire's compliment as she looked toward him.

"And how much is that promise worth?" Rei suddenly piped in earning Mai's attention." The promise of a vampire? Our queen in the unprotected company of him is the biggest concern." She snapped as her furious violet eyes met with another pair of the same hue.

"I'm afraid I must also agree with Rei," Endymion spoke up, as well. Laughter gained everyone within the small group's attention as they shifted their gaze to the chuckling Seto. The tall Wolf King moved his mirthful blue eyes from the sneering Jou to Rei who looked upon him angrily.

"You really don't know, do you?" He asked in apparent delight.

"Know what?" Rei demanded as she scrutinized the man. Throwing his head back in a cackle, Rei's hard expression faded as the were turned his gaze back upon her.

"So it appears secrets are kept well on the Moon. Yes, I believe this little adventure will be more entertaining than I had hoped for." Seto grinned as Rei turned her attention away from him in annoyance. "Don't worry about your sister fairy-boy," Seto continued as he looked toward the snarling blonde, "Worry about yourself because I can guarantee no one here is interested in protecting your pathetic ass."

"That's it!" Jou roared and moved to lunge toward the werewolf with flying fists until a thunderous and golden tail fell in front of him effectively blocking his path.

"That is enough!" The mighty dragon roared as he turned his angry attention upon Seto. "For all the hatred you have for Yami I am constantly amazed at just how alike you both are. I know what the two of you are planning, you deceptive bastard!" Ra roared towards the Wolf King much to everyone else's confusion. Seto merely grinned.

"I'll lead my pack members, I assume you can show everyone else the way?" The brown-haired man laughed as he quickly turned and ran off into the darkness with the two other wolves following behind him.

"Wait, what's going on?" Jou asked as he looked up toward the perturbed dragon. With a great sigh, the mighty Ra turned his almond shaped red eyes upon the Prince.

"Can you and your companion fly?" He asked.

"Yes, we both can." Rei affirmed. Turning his attention to Mai she put her hands upon her hips and ignored Rei's evil eye.

"I can move quickly on the ground." She responded coolly.

"Alright," the golden beast spoke as he turned his great head to Endymion and Hotaru. "The two of you must climb upon my back and I will transport you. For the others, follow me and I shall lead the way."

"And just where are we going?" Mai asked as she arched her brow.

"To Kalseru," Ra spoke with a deep rumble.

* * *

"I assume you know the way?" Serenity asked, finally breaking several moments of silence between she and her five thousand year old companion. His steps came to a halt as she paused alongside of him. The vampire looked humorously upon her as she succeeded in holding her expression stoic beneath his otherworldly scarlet-eyed gaze.

"Of course," he spoke richly and nodded in the direction behind her. Turning around to look into the dense forest, almost pitch black because of the tree covering, she saw the pale outline of an enormous mountain in the distance.

"Its quite far," the Queen assessed aloud, watching a cloud of breath leave her lips as she stood within the cold night. "I could travel faster if I flew." She spoke again and shuddered when a low chuckle was all she received in response. An intense chill flitted across her milky white skin as she felt the King of Game's impossibly torrid breath brush across her ear.

"Serenity," Yami spoke in a guttural whisper. Her breath hitched as his simple statement sent her heartbeat into a frenzy. So many nights during Serenity's thousand year absence of the blue planet she had dreamed of exactly this. The sound of her name upon Yami's tongue was one in which no other had ever compared. In so few words the illustrious vampire conveyed to her so much. His unmeasured desire for the lovely Fae Queen required no explicit explaining as his yearning was as clear as the brightest day upon his passionate voice. With no other distractions in the silent, dark night she heard all she had tried to forget and dared not to trust herself to turn around. Suddenly, a warm hand upon hers spun her around and her longing blue eyes fell upon Yami's smirking visage. Slowly, he brought her hand to his mouth and placed upon it a lingering kiss. A pleasant wave washed over her body and faded quickly as she visualized the knifelike and murderous fangs he contained within his otherwise tantalizing mouth.

"You could do that," he spoke in a low vibrato as he relinquished her hand. "But how then would I protect you? You know good and well monsters roam the Earth and the sky. Besides," a cruel smile spread across his face as he casually slid his arms around her waist and pulled her against him. "I can travel much faster than _you_." Serenity immediately responded by pushing away from him with her hands against his sturdy chest.

"How do you-" she protested just before her world went black. A frosty cold overwhelmed the small woman's senses as her eyes gazed into a filmy blackness. Several glowing and demonic eyes abruptly appeared in the void followed by the taunting sounds of howls and heinous laughter in the distance. Gripping onto the front of Yami's shirt she turned her eyes up towards his in panic and balked at the equally wicked appearance of the vampire's glowing red eyes. Gasping in an ice cold breath she buried her face into the material beneath her grip and closed her eyes upon experiencing an incredible and looming fear.

Without warning the icy feeling left her and the air tasted normal again upon her breathing. Lifting her face she focused on the dark forest and rapidly shifted her terrified crystal blues to the vampire whose expression evaporated of its former amusement. Releasing her white-knuckled grip from the fabric of his shirt she followed his indication as he nodded behind her. Whirling around, she was taken aback upon viewing that they were now impossibly closer to the mountain than they had been moments before. Turning to look back at him in disbelief a chilly realization dawned upon her.

"You can take others with you into the shadows." She stated and gaped toward him when he smirked back at her.

"Navigating the Shadow Realm is a useful mode of transportation over great and small distances if the opportunity is available." He explained. Serenity knew of the vampire's ability to transpire distances and through solid barricades in the event that absolute darkness was present to enter and exit the the shadows, but she had never before been within the realm where many demons and monsters thrived.

"You were never able to bring anyone with you before," she affirmed again in confusion. Yami chuckled as he leaned over the Moon-dwelling fairy.

"Its been a thousand years, Serenity." He reminded, "I've learned to do _a lot _of new things." He purred and displayed a broad smile. The Queen found herself momentarily speechless and felt her face grow hot upon contemplating the man's words. "Surely you remember the key to obtaining any victory?" He asked still retaining his fang decorated grin. Regaining her composure, she recalled a poignant phrase from her memory.

"The rules are never what they seem." She quoted the simple dogma of Yami's proclaimed best strategy for winning any and every game he competes in.

"Bingo," he laughed. "You haven't missed a beat, Serenity. While I'd be much inclined to shower you with praises and the like for the rest of the evening we really should continue on to Kalseru." The vampire leaned forward to embrace her once more when suddenly, Serenity jumped back and away from him.

"I'm not going back in there again. Ever." She protested as a pair of sparkled and translucent wings appeared upon her back. With the memory of the terrifying depths of the darkness still fresh upon her mind she moved quickly to take to the sky and transport herself to Kalseru, monsters or not. Before her toes even left the grassy-ground her petite body was pressed against his rock-solid core with his arms firmly secured around her slender waist. Held in so close that her nose just barely touched the tip of his she glared angrily into his frown as she knew she hadn't a chance in hell of escaping as his strength was far superior to hers.

"I know it isn't pleasant," he spoke quietly, his voice peculiarly calming. "But it'll be over my dead body before I let you put yourself in harm's way," the vampire's tone rang serious as he dressed it with a fanged snarl.

"The creatures in shadows aredangerous! I could feel their contempt for me. I'm not like you; I don't belong in there." The fairy protested. Leaning back, Yami allowed some space between the two of them as his red eyes shone into her concerned gaze.

"I will _never _let you go." Yami promised on a level that seemed to encompass more than their current predicament. Letting the tension leave her body Serenity gripped onto the front of his shirt once more.

"Just get us there in one piece, but Yami, I am _never _doing this again." She hissed angrily earning a quick snicker from the taller man.

"Sure," he spoke with a wink and Serenity gasped as she felt herself catapulted into the shadows once more. The experience was surprisingly less terrifying now that the Fae Queen knew what to expect from the encounter as she diligently held onto to Yami and kept her eyes closed as he jumped from shadow to shadow in the dark covered forest. Other than the Shadow Realm being downright frightening the most profound feeling she gathered was one of absolute draining. Being within the hellish place sucked away her energy, although it peculiarly came back to her each time the two travelers reentered the Earthly plane. Finally, Serenity felt herself come to a longstanding stop and let go of her grip. Taking a step back she focused on Yami within the blackness of the shadows.

"What's going-" before she could finish he quickly leaned in and placed his index finger gently upon her lips. Standing silently, she turned and watched two axe wielding dwarfs walk past the small cavern where the two of them stood. After several moments, he removed his finger and they quietly strolled out of the small crevice's exit into the moonlit night. Turning her gaze she looked down into the deep valley within the elevated natural wonder and cringed. Despite having the ability to fly, she still, ironically, dreaded heights.

"I didn't want to give away our position too quickly," Yami explained as they walked upon the rocky mountainside. "We do still have the element of surprise, although I'm not sure how much that will affect the dwarfs' placidity." He commented dryly. Serenity nodded as her thoughts drifted from Yami to their current situation. Just how was she going to convince Noah, the King of Kalseru, to hand over his most prized talisman? They approached the entrance in silence before Yami once again spoke into the night.

"I hope you don't find me rude in asking, but what has the Fae Queen been up to for the past one thousand years?" His inquiry came from nowhere and certainly caught the royal off guard. He had asked genuinely, she could feel that the mind reader was not attempting to trick her into probing something out of her thoughts. And yet, she found herself impossibly unable to answer. What could she say? Should she discuss how she unwillingly and very disturbingly had missed him over the past thousand years? Or maybe she could bring up the time she had given birth to a beautiful baby girl just five years ago. Yes, clearly both subjects on her mind were taboo for the sanity and safety of everyone.

"Just being the Queen of the Moon," she responded and was suddenly engulfed in a bright light. Her former clothing was now replaced with an elegant and floor length snow white dress that was strapless against her bust. Gold embroidery adorned the top of the form fitting gown as her namesake fairy wings appeared gracefully at her back. The entire royal appearance was completed with the Fae Queen's golden tiara that gleamed between her two buns of streaming blonde hair. Yami's face filled with surprise as his eyes locked zealously upon her.

"And I should really play the part if I'm going to work on performing some kind of miracle." She smiled softly towards the vampire as her entire form seemed to glow bewitchingly in the dead of the Earth's night. His scarlet eyes briefly held a flicker of ache before all visible feeling within the creature was replaced with a smirk.

"The most fantastic miracle I've ever seen is standing right in front of me," he rolled smoothly as he gently reached out and took a hold of her left hand. Studying it briefly he turned his eyes back to hers and smirked wider. "Ah, another miracle. Its been a thousand years and the beautiful Fae Queen still hasn't married." Yami sang as Serenity quickly retracted her hand.

"I've been busy," she snapped feeling somewhat vulnerable to the vampire's observation.

"Lucky me," he rumbled as he piqued his eyebrows in interest, "and lucky your nonexistent husband, for if he existed he'd find himself very unlucky." Serenity frowned but before she could reply a loud voice called out to them.

"Who goes there?" The nasally voice demanded. Turning her attention, both she and Yami looked toward the gigantic entrance of Kalseru where hundreds of dwarfs stood armed. Taking a deep breath she looked once more toward the red-eyed man.

"Here goes nothing, wish me luck." She requested hopefully. As she moved to take another step forward she paused upon Yami's gentle grip enclosing around her wrist.

"Serenity, there's just one thing you should know," he whispered on a breath of the wind upon catching her great blue eyes. "If for some reason these mountain dwellers aren't receptive to your request...I'm going to kill them all." The bloodthirsty vampire finished _very _seriously.

* * *

THANK YOU TO: **Sesshy's Mistress, Cosmic-lover, Artemis Day, devafiend, Anexya, Serena-hime, Sakura Waldorf, RoseMuoto2010, Saris Yui, Queen B, A fellow writer, **and **SailorVMoon1311815** for reviewing the last chapter!

Also, another special thanks to: **Serena-hime, devafiend, Sesshy's Mistress, Cosmic-lover, Anexya, **and **Saris Yui **for reading and reviewing "The Ostiary"'s first side-story "The Beast"! If you haven't checked it out, please do! (Just be warned, it contains mature content and is rated as such)

Sorry for taking so long to get this out, I've been pretty busy! I'll have the next chapter out sooner (I've already started it!) and I'll get it done even faster if you all give me feedback! *smile&wink* Thanks again, you all are the absolute best!

(Oh...and not to give too much away but the next chapter has a potentially exciting twist!)

~Kochou-hime


	7. Memories of the Dead

The Ostiary

Kochou-hime

**All characters belong to their respective owners.**

Memories of the Dead

"Who goes there?" A loud voice shrieked for the second time.

Serenity's cerulean irises dilated in horror as she stared aghast upon her bluntly spoken companion. Yami displayed no apparent emotion as he set his jaw wordlessly upon her dismay. His fiery gaze burned promisingly; reaffirming the oath of blood he had made aloud to her just moments ago. A tremor shot through her core as she recalled a very different, yet very real, side of Yami that hadn't changed over the past thousand years. While he was truly the entrancing and desirous lover from her past he harbored a flaw within him she hadn't the stomach to ignore. He was a vampire, and vampires were monsters through and through.

"Answer or be exterminated! Who are you and what business do you have at the entrance of Kalseru?" Gasping in a breath of the cold night air, the Fae Queen quickly turned her attention in front of her. Serenity's distraught gaze settled upon the spoken dwarf who stood at the front of a sea of weapon wielding men. His eyes were set narrowed upon her in scrutiny, and based on his clothing which included a decorated mauve jacket; he was likely the lead of the guard. The short man ironically reminded her of Weevil, the unpleasant dwarf she had encountered the previous night as he sported similar hair that was teal in color and tapered at his neck. A biting and metallic smell suddenly brushed across her nose as her concerned blue orbs fell upon the mining tool the inquiring man cradled within his arms, a sharpened pickaxe.

"I-" she began and quickly shook the lingering fears from the front of her mind, "I've come peacefully. I have no ill intentions." The Queen announced in regal politeness. Quiet snickers erupted from the mass of dwarfs, likely amused by the prospect of two unarmed visitors possibly posing them any harm. Serenity plastered on a cordial smile as she tried her best to ignore the low and ominous chuckle that came from the man that stood beside her in response.

"Is she a fairy? No, can't be."

"She sure looks like one. Look at those wings!" Quiet whispers fell upon the fairy's ears and were quickly silenced as the leader sternly cleared his throat.

"And just who are you? What do you want? You are clearly not a dwarf and therefore have no business in Kalseru!" He barked.

"Surely you wouldn't carry such a rude tone or harsh demands if you knew you were addressing Serenity," Yami's commanding voice erupted quickly, "the only surviving royal with true claim to ruling the Fae lands?" He finished his inquiry in earnest as not a trace of amusement could be observed upon his hardened expression. The whispers returned as Serenity focused on the dwarf who locked his eyes upon her in surprise. Slowly but surely, several of the men guarding the entrance after exchanging looks fell into a kneel.

"Espa!" A man, almost identical in appearance, hissed toward the captain of the guard. Whirling around behind him, Espa grit his teeth.

"Get up!" He ordered angrily just before turning back toward Kalseru's unwelcome guests. "Whether or not you truly are who your friend suggests, it matters not!" The short man with aquamarine hair countered as the men behind him came back to stand. "We answer to his majesty Noah, King of the Dwarfs and Kalseru!" Serenity sighed aloud in exasperation as the feeling of Yami's warning sent her worrying stomach into a tumble.

"Please," The Queen begged, trying her best to hold a level demeanor. "I haven't come looking for allegiance. I merely request to speak with your king Noah on a matter of great importance." She defended holding her upturned palms before her.

"You mean nothing to our king, and therefore you may not enter!" Yelled yet another look-a-like to the guard's leader. Serenity blinked as she now focused upon the three men, likely triplets who stood several yards before her gripping onto weapons at their fingertips.

"Hmmm," Yami sounded lowly as a knowing smirk crossed his face. "The dwarfs are uncooperative, what a surprise." Sending the vampire a warning glance she turned to take a few steps toward the guards.

"Please, reconsider! This is a matter of life and death!" She pleaded once more and halted when suddenly the lead guard swung his rusty pickaxe before him. Serenity coughed as the sickening smell from the weapon traveled on the wind and made her stomach churn as she stared in horror at the object.

"It will be for you if you take one more step forward!" Espa roared as he glared toward her menacingly. "Leave now before I slice you in two because if the legends I've heard are correct, my solid _iron _axe should take care of a fairy quite easily!" His hearty laugh was overshadowed by an enraged rumble that emerged from the man at Serenity's side.

"You dare point that weapon at _her_?" Yami thundered as his bloody eyes blazed in rage upon the dwarf. Tossing her surprised gaze upon him, Serenity's mouth hung agape as the vampire stood stiffened in fury as he stared down the man who was backed by two hundred of his companions.

"Don't worry," Espa responded snidely, "you'll have your turn!" The petite blonde shivered as a very familiar aura overwhelmed her form. A haunting blackness converged around the precarious man as his enraged features suddenly warped into a maddened grin.

"You've placed a lot of faith in your weapon, imp." Yami mocked aloud. "I hope you love it, because the two of you will be very close after I _make you eat it_!" The Vampire King roared and suddenly burst into laughter as the one called Espa visibly paled. The guardsman quickly raised his arm alerting a group of archers to ready their flight bound arrowheads.

"Leave this land at once, or perish!" Espa bellowed as the clanging of metal weapons sounded into the night air. Serenity immediately lunged for Yami's arm and clung to the sleeve of his jacket in desperation.

"We should leave like he said. We can consult the others-" Serenity paused as the taller man neither flinched nor turned to look at her. "Yami!" She hissed.

"I believe I was very upfront with you concerning my intentions on this matter, Serenity." He spoke coldly, still keeping his gaze firmly affixed to the guards that stood poised before them.

"They don't understand. They've done nothing wrong." She argued, nearly choking on her words as the impending prospect of death smothered the air within the mountain. The breath went stale in her chest upon catching a glimpse of the vampire's icy gaze.

"I can only assume you weren't paying attention," Yami's voice rang sternly, "because unless my ears deceive me their spokesman very explicitly described how he plans to kill you and yet you still wish mercy upon them?" he frowned. "your apparent quest for martyrdom upsets me." Yami sneered holding his mouth in a snarl.

"Are you deaf? Leave or we will kill you both!" Espa screeched as Serenity could feel the tension enveloping her grow heavy.

"If we leave they won't get a chance to try. Please, let's just think this over a little more." The blonde pled shakily as panic suppressed her voice. Without warning, his angry stare yielded and was replaced with a soft and admiring smirk.

"On one condition," he replied quietly arching a single brow as he looked down upon her. The famed Queen found herself momentarily cursing the Gods, as they had been completely unmerciful in allowing him or anyone to look as captivating as he did in this moment. While most of the world showed its greatest beauty in the daylight Yami was perhaps the world's most fantastic exception. Black clung to him as if it was always meant to be there where his phenomenal form stood leisurely asserting its ownership of the night. He expressed no concern toward the threatening dwarfs, as if they didn't truly exist while his reverent and scarlet orbs settled upon her.

"Promise to return to the Earth and leave your fake world behind, forever," the fearsome man stated simply. Serenity slowly let go of her grip upon the fabric of his jacket as her widened blue eyes locked with his in shock. "Bask beneath the Old World's sun each day and spend all of your nights," he paused as his smile widened, "with me. Promise me this and we can leave here and never return." Her mouth dropped open slightly as she could feel her heart fighting to beat out of her chest.

The loaded suggestion trickled into her mind involuntarily. She couldn't help but obsess over how beautiful of an idea it was. To forget about Zorc's terror, and ignore the wars raging within the Old Land if only to love and make everything she had missed about it once again, truly, hers. Even if she gave up everything else, her irrational desire to once again reside under Yami's inexhaustible idolatry sent her nerves tingling in a frenzy. But within her scattered thoughts, supreme reality came down hard as her memory filled of her second crimson-eyed love, and the one she had promised first and foremost all of her devotion.

"I cannot." She enunciated breathlessly. If Yami was disappointed by her response, he concealed it well.

"Cannot? Or will not?" He asked suddenly with a grin.

"That's it! You've had your chance," Espa screamed before she could respond, "Att-" The rest of the dwarf's speech was drowned out by an ear shattering roar. A blindingly white blast of power lit up the dark night as it fired into the dwarfs outside the city's entrance. Screams assaulted the fairy's ears when she found herself all of a sudden swept up into a pair of mighty arms and instantly farther away from where the dwarfs were attacked. Stretching her neck to look over Yami's black clothed shoulder her breath fled from her lungs as the vision of Ra and the sounds of canine barks and howls laying siege on the dwarf guards registered. Realization dawned upon her as she snapped her head to look up into Yami's face in fury. Clawing her hands upward she beat her fists into his unyielding and solid pectorals.

"You bastard!" She wailed as the taller man swiftly set the Royal onto her feet and firmly gripped and halted her flying wrists. "You planned this, didn't you?" Serenity cried out as she stared into his calm gaze accusingly. "Placate the peaceful one, is it? How _dare_ you play games with me! Fuck you!" The impassioned woman screeched as infuriated tears flew down her face.

"Serenity!" The powerful vampire spoke rigidly as he held her struggling arms still with little effort. "Seto was correct in what he told you before. We will take care of this but it is not a matter you need to see or-" Yami hissed as he narrowly avoided a wild kick from the angry woman, "be involved in." Serenity grit her teeth and felt hot fury fly through her veins when he smirked upon her.

"I had forgotten how feisty you can be!" he laughed with a wink as Serenity glowered toward him and flinched when he leaned in and placed a quick kiss upon the sensitive skin of her ear. "I promise to make this up to you, that is, if you'll allow me." He suggested in a throaty whisper. Yelping angrily, she whipped her head back and was surprised when she felt her wrists freed and another pair of hands fall upon her shoulders from behind.

"Take her and leave. Now." Yami ordered sternly.

"No problem there. C'mon, let's go!" Her brother's voice responded. Turning to look she caught sight of Jou's worried brown eyes. "Let's get out of here!" Looking back behind her once more, she sighed bitterly upon seeing Yami was now gone.

Still fuming, she barely registered being practically dragged in a run away from the mountain's entrance until the vision of Hotaru filled her eyes in the distance. Shifting her attention behind her as Jou ran ahead with his hand onto hers she noticed something strange pouring out from the side of the mountain, just beyond the entrance. Squinting she made out several short men fleeing from the invisible exit and moving with weapons to where the fortress-ed city was being attacked. Digging her heels firmly into the ground she forced her running sibling to nearly fall over.

"Hey, what's the deal? We gotta get out of here!" Jou protested.

"There's a second entrance," The Moon's sovereign spoke in wonder as her eyes remained glued to her observation, "its veiled by magic!" She announced and swiftly moved to run toward the uncharted passage. Jou's hand flew around her wrist as he pulled her to a stop with all his might.

"Who gives a crap if there's another entrance? We have to go, like, ten minutes ago!" He argued.

"I'm going to get the axe myself! And as soon as I do, all of this...needless violence can stop!" Serenity huffed. "And I'll do it peacefully!" She added with a hint of resentment riding on her tone.

"Nu uh," The Prince shook his head as he refused to release his grip on her wrist, "I know all of this is messed up but there ain't no way I'm letting you go in there and get hurt!" Serenity narrowed her gaze and exhaled deeply.

"Jounouchi, I'm sorry." The Queen spoke wryly.

"Eh?" Jou questioned right before a bright flash of light escaping from his sibling barraged his eyes. "Argh!" The man cried out as he released his grip in order to cover his face. Serenity quickly capitalized on the opportunity as she bolted toward her discovery.

"Prince Jounouchi! Are you alright?" Hotaru's voice rang as she ran to him.

"Ahhh!" The hazel eyed fairy groaned.

* * *

"What's the matter, little dwarf?" A feminine voice purred barely audible over the deafening presence of vicious roars and painful screams. Mai slowly backed a terrified dwarf into a dark crack in the mountainside as he swung his sword before him in vain. "Don't you appreciate a beautiful woman?" The tall blonde bared her fangs just before she pounced upon him and was rewarded with his tormented squeals into the darkness.

"Argh!" The one named Honda roared as he ripped his sharp teeth away from some unfortunate guard's throat. "They just keep coming! I swear they're multiplying!" The werewolf looked much different than he had earlier that evening as in his transformed state he sported brown canine ears complete with long teeth, claws and a tail. He panted in exhaustion as an immense roar sounded before him.

"I'm sorry, I'm trying my best to keep them at bay!" The great golden dragon bellowed as he continued blasting dwarfs coming through the entrance with the powerful beam exploding from his mouth. With one swoop of his massive tail he effectively knocked at least ten warrior dwarfs off their feet.

"They have to be coming from somewhere else!" Anzu howled as she viciously swung her clawed hands into a pair of assaulting men. Tearing past them, she crouched defensively beside Honda, also panting heavily. A ruckus earned the two wolf's attention as Endymion valiantly ran before them wielding a red stained sword.

"Catch your breath, I'll hold them off!" The Human King shouted as several mace and sword swinging dwarfs charged where the three had their backs facing the mountain. The trio suddenly jerked their heads upward when the sound of a snarling battle cry went sailing over their heads. The long and lean form of the world's oldest wolf went crashing into the charging men from where he launched himself off the rocks of the mountainside. With incredible speed, the transformed Seto hacked his enemies down mercilessly with the aid of only his powerful bite and slashing claws.

At some point during the ongoing attack he had shed his long coat revealing a black and fitted short sleeved shirt that clung to his sweat glistening body like a second skin. Turning back to glare at his subordinates, the crimson splatters of his fallen foes were visible on his muscular arms and angry face. The front of his shirt was torn in several places where the tall man's sculpted abdominals were displayed in patches of skin.

"The two of you should be more than prepared for this!" Seto bellowed toward the wolves as he successfully swiped an attacking dwarf away from his side. "I was under the impression you both were my best warriors!" Anzu growled as both she, Honda, and Endymion returned to combating the soldiers of Kalseru.

"They're too much to handle at once coming from all directions!" Anzu barked as she fell to her back and quickly sprung forward to annihilate the one who had knocked her down. "They have to be leaving the city from another entrance!" Seto appeared overwhelmed with surprise.

"That isn't possible! The map clearly showed only one way in and out of Kalseru!" Endymion responded.

"Seto! Behind you!" Honda's voice rang in urgency to the momentarily distracted Seto. Whipping his head a flying axe came within inches of his back right before the appearance of an orangery-red blaze sent the weapon clattering to the ground. The were's eyes widened as he watched a dwarf afire fall to the ground in an attempt to squelch the brilliant flames attacking his clothes and body. Shifting his attention he raised an intrigued brow upon spotting Rei sending blasts of burning flames upon the dwarfs who were now effectively blocking the attacks with shields held before them. The dark haired woman gaped when three dwarfs charged her with brandished weapons. In a blur, the fire wielder was suddenly knocked over when the Wolf King darted to easily exterminate the storming men.

Rei groaned as she was quickly pulled to her feet and went crashing into the solid body of Seto in her lopsided balance. Her amethyst eyes widened as she looked stunned into his wicked gaze. The man's eyes appeared different in his transformed state. They were amber in hue which was a drastic change from his normally cobalt irises.

"Look who came to play with the big boys." Seto rumbled and with a quick movement, pinned her body between the rocky mountainside and his towering form. Shuttering against him, Rei briefly squeezed her eyes shut as she she pushed her hands forcefully against the unyielding man.

"Some respect you have for the person that just saved your life!" Rei spat as she scowled upward into his grin.

"And I just saved yours, twice." He replied as her face filled with confusion. Quickly shifting the two of them, Seto wrapped one arm around the fairy's waist and used his free hand to latch upon the head of a dwarf who charged behind them and slammed it into the mountainside with a sickening crack. Rei lurched upon sight of the boorish violence as the dwarf crumbled and fell limp upon the ground.

"I'd say we're even." He laughed as the fairy tore herself away from his arm and steadied herself once more against the rocks.

"What's our plan?" Honda roared into the night as he continued to spill the blood of Kalseru's guards. "At the rate they're coming it'll take us days to get inside!" He suddenly paused as several dwarfs began running away from him.

"Retreat! Retreat!" A nasally voice rang hysterically as several dwarfs escaped past their aggressors behind many tall rock face structures just outside the entrance that appeared to be used for an emergency make-shift barracks. An ungodly chuckle flooded into the deadened air as a shadowy figure strolled into the now unguarded area just before the entrance. Seto narrowed his eyes upon the vampire whose coat and spiky hair rustled slightly in the whistling wind that whipped around the mountain.

"Its about time you showed up!" Seto barked into the now quiet night where only wind and the voice of orders being given behind the barracks could be heard. Rei visibly became pale as her gaze latched onto a stream of red liquid that traveled slowly toward Yami's heels.

"Well, I never imagined _you_ of all people, my dear friend, would require my aid in such a trivial activity as killing a few dwarfs." The Vampire King responded satirically earning an annoyed growl from the werewolf. Standing frozen just behind Seto, the fiery fairy slowly turned her gaze just beyond Yami's back and doubled over clutching her stomach when her gaze filled of the bodies of several dwarfs lying in a sea of blood that hadn't been there minutes before.

"A few?" Ra grumbled aloud as Yami grinned toward him, his eyes glowing the same color as the grisly stains that marred the stony ground. Mai suddenly made her presence known from within a crack of the mountain as she strolled up just beside the great dragon and crossed her arms with a smirk.

"Compared to the rest of the them who are most likely cowering inside, yes," Yami laughed as he nodded to where the dwarfs that had failed to guard the entrance now gathered. "It seems as though these ones will no longer be a problem as it appears they are now trapped like flies in a jar." He observed calmly as Ra stretched his neck to observe where they had all gathered behind their less than adequate rock barriers in an attempt to regroup.

"Indeed, they should be easy for me to handle now," Ra spoke up, "you all go ahead and retrieve the axe." Tilting his head slightly, the King of Games leaned to focus his eyes into one of the spaces within the rocky barricade where he watched Espa bark orders in desperation to his men. His eyes filled with excitement just before he turned and displayed his exaggerated incisors to the Werewolf King.

"I'll be right behind you. There's just one little matter I have to take care of, first." Yami grinned darkly.

* * *

Serenity held her breath as several armed dwarfs shuffled by where she stood hidden in a shadowed corner against the cave wall. As soon as the coast was clear, she expelled her breath in a deep sigh and hastened quickly into the dimly lit dwelling. Her lungs ached as she sucked in stinging gulps of the cave's frosty air and held her arms crossed in an attempt to hold in warmth as she sported a dress that was in no way appropriate for the cave's subzero temperature. While digging into her subspace pocket for a jacket crossed her mind, she was far too concerned with drawing attention to herself to whom or whatever may be lurking around every corner. Darting as quickly and as silently as she could, the Queen came to a large room that split into eight separate tunneled pathways.

Dread spread across her and she cursed herself for not having consulted the map the night before, although it may have not done all that much good since they were only assuming the Golden Axe would be in the throne room at the center of the city. She began wringing her hands nervously, because as her anger upon Yami and Seto's manipulative plan faded she realized more and more that this little venture of hers may not have been thought out well.

"Hey!" A voice announced as a heavy hand fell on the blonde's shoulder from behind. With a screech, she whirled around and stared into a pair of hardened hazel eyes.

"Jounouchi!" She hissed quietly as she stared upon her frowning sibling. "What are you doing?"

"Thanks for the temporary blindness back there," The Prince grumbled, "but if you're dead set on doing stupid and dangerous things then, well, I'm doin' them with ya!" Serenity groaned and slumped her shoulders as her sibling suddenly revealed his silver sword.

"Well," she sighed, "which way should we go then?" The Fae Queen asked, exasperated. Turning and looking around, he settled his blank stare upon her once more and shrugged. Letting her eyes flutter shut, she found herself inwardly begging for a miracle and upon doing so a strange flicker of light caught her attention. Quickly opening her eyes, she saw the flicker again at the entrance of one of the tunnels and pointed her finger toward it.

"Why that way?" Jou wondered aloud.

"I just have a feeling." Serenity replied as the two siblings made their way into the dark tunnel. Bringing forth an orb of light in her palm, she and Jou traveled quick and silently. She briefly forgot about the bitter cold climate within the cave as her mind became lost in her jumbled thoughts.

This was the exact sort of thing she _shouldn't _be doing. Her anger stemmed on the betrayal of her ideals had driven her to put not only herself, but her brother in a most likely very jeaopardous situation. While she was willing to die to ensure Zorc could never wreck havoc on the world like he had previously, the situation was a very delicate one. She truly couldn't afford to be a martyr even if it was absolutely necessary. The heralded Queen's thoughts filled of the lovely bubble gum haired Princess of the Fae and she inwardly sighed.

_Rini_, she thought solemnly, _I promise I'll come back to you. I'll always be there for you_.

The two finally entered a clearing that appeared to contain several residential dwellings and places of business within the cavernous city. Shifting her eyes around her surroundings she spied several short wooden doors adorned with fiery torches guarding further tunnels and rooms into the mountain. The doors went up all the way up to the rocky ceilings that appeared to go for miles with winding stairs allowing passage to the strange entrances. Something felt strange to the Fae Queen as it seemed unlikely such a place would be barren of people.

"Aw man," Jou breathed in wonder, "Where to now?" Tossing her flaxen hair as she turned, Serenity's eyes fell upon a larger door that stood out amongst the rest several flights of stairs upwards.

"This way," she ordered as the fairies climbed the stairs and made haste to the door. Jou grunted while pulling the heavy barrier open. Standing back as the enormous wooden object sent the air whisking across her senses, Serenity's face fell as she looked down upon hundreds, maybe thousands of dwarfs within a similar appearing city dwelling. A nauseating smell turned her stomach as she resisted the urge to crumble to her knees. Within the masses, where at its center huddled women and children, were injured soldiers being hastily attended to. Her body froze in horror as she caught sight of the abhorring appearance of blood as it tarnished the dwarfs and the mountain's floor. The scent of the iron laden source of life caused her entire body to wrench as the harrowing screams of the wounded assaulted her ears. The panicked cries of mothers and children poisoned the air as both men and women assisted in trying to heal the dying, many warriors missing limbs and covered in bleeding gashes.

"Hey! Who is that up there?" A voice ordered. Jou shook his head from where he was entranced in horror. Turning to his sister who remained frozen he quickly grabbed her arm and pushed her back through the other side of the doorway.

"Uh, wrong room!" He spoke dumbfoundedly as he immediately slammed the door shut behind them. Enraged howls of men sounded from beyond the now closed door and Jou looked to his sister in panic. "We gotta go!" Serenity gaped and tore her eyes from the closed to door to stare at her brother.

"I-I can't heal them all." She spoke in a shocked daze. Gritting his teeth Jou abruptly swooped the Fae Queen into his arms and leapt over the guard rail along the stairs to the ground several feet below just as the wooden door went bursting open. Tumbling from the surprise impact the two royals quickly rolled to their feet. Jou swung his sword out defensively as he watched the angry dwarfs hurling themselves down the stairs with swinging weapons.

"Stand behind me, I'll protect you!" The fairy announced bravely, but his expression read otherwise as he looked fearfully toward the charging half-sized men. Ignoring him, Serenity burst forward front of him.

"Wait!" She cried but her urgent request was ignored as the fastest dwarf kept moving forward with a battle cry ripping through his lungs. Jou pushed past her easily and met the small dwarf's sword with his own sending the man flying backward as he swung the weapon with all his strength. The Fae's Queen ran quickly ahead of him and sent forth a blinding blast of light that caused the closest approaching soldiers to stop in their tracks and grab their eyes.

"Let's go!" She cried over the overwhelming tones of howling men. Before she even had a chance to move she heard a sound above her head and screeched when she observed a dwarf that had leapt from the stairs bringing down his axe upon the Fae Prince.

"Jou watch out!" Serenity warned as she bolted toward him. The blonde man quickly dodged out of the way but was caught off guard when the heavy dwarf landed perfectly on his feet and stampeded forward and lowered his shoulder into his gut. Jou went toppling over and quickly lost consciousness as his head smacked forcefully into the stone ground. Running faster than she ever had she shrieked as the attacking man raised his weapon and swung it at the helpless fairy's head. Suddenly, the dwarf paused and dropped his weapon to the ground. Clutching his head he fell to his knees and howled in pain. Serenity dropped to the floor and protectively covered her brother's body with her own. Tearing her eyes away from the screaming man she turned her head to see that the men recovering from her previous attack were now slowly backing up as they looked beyond her.

"The-the vampire the guardsman warned us about." A voice stuttered aloud.

"He's using his power on him, stand back!" Another masculine voice hissed.

Serenity slowly turned her head back around as she felt her blood run cold. Gripping onto her brother below her she wearily lifted her silvery blue eyes to stare into the tall figure that stood just beyond them. The blazing Eye of Horus immediately caught her attention as it prevailed on a forehead just above a furious pair of crimson eyes that stared upon her. Yami appeared absolutely ferocious, so much so her breathing constricted as she felt as if her soul burned beneath his scalding glare. His anger toward her loomed more powerfully than a simple emotion, and in the bombardment of feelings that swarmed within her, fear overpowered all of them. The Queen barely noticed Mai approach as she quickly snapped the tormented dwarf's neck and moved to kneel on Jou's other side.

"He's alright you know, I can hear his heartbeat and breathing and its all normal." The vampiress caught Serenity's attention as her purple eyes seemed to contain a sliver of concern as she looked upon the distraught royal.

"I had no idea you were so interested in blood and destruction Serenity," he snapped scathingly, "I'd be more than happy to kill people for your amusement but I'm afraid now isn't the time or place." Serenity grit her teeth as she refused to dignify him with a response. Placing her hand upon her sibling's forehead a bright light appeared as she concentrated on healing his head injury. Mai watched in wonder as shuffling and whispers could be heard from the dwarf warriors. They ever so slowly began creeping back up the stairs walking backwards as they kept their eyes firmly affixed upon the treacherous Vampire King. As she pulled back her hand she yelped when she felt herself quickly and roughly pulled to her feet. Falling into Yami's chest she glared back at him as he looked disapprovingly upon her. Serenity gasped when suddenly she was thrown over his shoulder like a rag doll as he stormed toward one of the mysterious wooden doors.

"Put me down at once! Leave me with Jounouchi!" The golden haired fairy protested as she squirmed beneath his arm. He ignored her as he ripped the door open and poked his head inside to look around. Motioning to Mai, the vampiress quickly scooped up the Fae Prince and set him gently on the floor within the room that appeared to be a vacant bakery containing barrels of wheat that lined the walls. Depositing her to her feet Serenity immediately tore herself away from him as she glowered hotly upon the precarious man. Steam escaped as let out a heavy breath into the freezing air.

"I don't imagine you could get into much trouble here." He rolled, without a single hint of mirth traveling in his angry voice. "Stay here. If you try to escape I will stop you. This may take awhile because although I had planned on sparing those that stayed out of my way it appears as if I will just have to massacre them all to keep you safe, what a pity." The notorious vampire bit sarcastically. Passion stormed through Serenity as she balled her hands into fists at her sides.

"I hate you." The scorned words shredded across her tongue as she spoke them angrily without remorse. Yami responded by quickly pulling his jacket from his arms and swung the dark fabric around her shoulders. Considering chucking the garment away from her she was conquered by his zestful scent and the soothing warmth the body-heated coat left with her. His godlike form left little to the imagination where a tight black shirt revealed just how powerful the vampire's solid body was. He quickly leaned in toward her and showed her his wicked teeth.

"How absurdly unoriginal of you, Serenity." He whispered just before he, with incredible speed, disappeared whilst slamming the door behind him. The royal gaped in horror when the sounds of blood curdling screams echoed within the mountain. Hurriedly pulling her arms into the large jacket's sleeve she fell to her knees beside the Fae Prince.

"Jou, wake up," she muttered trying to hold back tears. She didn't know what to do, her plan to stop the violence had cruelly turned upside down upon her as it had put her brother in harm's way. The fairy hadn't the energy to worry about the doomed dwarfs within the mountain as her concern filled with her brother. Her intentions had been perfectly noble, but she couldn't shake the feeling that interfering may have made the situations worse and even more deadly according to Yami's statement. Angrily banging her fist into the floor below her, she noticed the sound of a strange echo escape into the air.

"Eh?" Jou voiced suddenly and his brown eyes fluttered open. Serenity breathed a sigh of relief as she fell atop of him in an embrace.

"Jou, are you alright?" She asked worriedly as she sat back up to look at him. He blinked a few times before sitting up groggily and pressing a hand into his forehead.

"Yeah I'm fine. My head hurts though," he grumbled and squinted his eyes around the room. "Where are we anyway?" Something gleamed within the Queen's gaze upon Jou's movement. Turning her eyes down toward the floor where had lay she noticed a bronzed looped handle that was attached to the floor.

"A trap door," Serenity breathed as she gripped onto the metal circle.

"I coulda swore there was this dwarf guy attacking me. Did I dream that?" He asked rubbing his head.

"Jou, scoot over a little." She asked. Shrugging, the man moved to the right as she lifted the hidden passageway in the floor.

"A secret door, huh?" The hazel-eyed man mumbled as Serenity peered down into a lit tunnel that was lined with a velvety red runner upon the stone floor. "Hm, a red carpet. Looks pretty _royal _if you ask me. Think this leads to the throne room?" Serenity's mind tumbled in consideration.

There had been too many close calls this evening and as furious as she was with Yami she couldn't help but feel absolutely thankful that he had saved her brother's life. She had a strong inkling, like Jou suggested, that this secret passageway led to where King Noah resided. Taking in a deep breath she weighed her options. They could stay safe within the room and allow every last dwarf to be annihilated or continue to seek the axe and hopefully save some lives, although nothing could save everyone at this point. In all her concerns, her heart told her it was their responsibility to move forward to protect as many people as they could.

"Let's find out," Serenity spoke as she, followed by Jou traveled down the red carpeted stairs. The tunnel was more grandly lit than the rest of the mountain's areas as paintings and golden artwork lined the walls.

"This is definitely a hallway fit for a King." Jou commented as he walked holding his sword defensively before him. Noticing this, Serenity called forth the Holy Blade and held the heavy weapon before her similarly. Though she swore herself to non-violence she vowed to be ready to defend Jou and herself from a situation like the one they had encountered previously. The pair eventually entered an eerily noiseless room that was enormous in size and even more ornately decorated than the hallway. At the very back of the room sat a grand throne that was completely shrouded in darkness as the lit torches failed send its light upon the royal seat. Serenity could barely make out a shadowy silhouette that sat within the elevated chair but her eyes fell unmistakeably upon a large, and brilliantly shining golden axe that hung on the wall just above the throne.

"King Noah," Serenity spoke his title and bowed politely with Jou following suit. "People have laid siege on this city, I will do anything to help stop them but I need-" The fair Queen paused when a rabid and deep throated chuckle rang from the dark seat. A strange feeling of déjà vu spilled across her memory as the sound of his laugh made her feel uneasy. The Fae Prince tensed as he gripped harder onto the sword he held before him.

"This isn't a joke." Serenity spoke again, eliciting more psychotic laughter as the dark figure stood up from the throne and stood much taller than a dwarf. A heavy rolling sound caught the pair's attention as Serenity's concerned ocean orbs fell upon a small object traveling down the blood red carpeted stairs at the chair's edge. Her insides wretched upon deciphering the object as a severed head with teal hair and a pair of terrified dark blue eyes.

The cackling man leisurely descended down the stairs and slowly became more visible as he stepped into the light. Black and blue clothed his slim body as his high collared jacked stopped just below his wicked and blood covered, fang-filled mouth. A seemingly familiar golden object hung around his neck, it was a large looped ring with a pyramid at its center. From it dangled five golden spikes upon his blue and white striped shirt. His brown eyes brimmed with madness upon bronzed skin and were partially hidden by long locks of spiky snow white hair. A golden crown sat lopsided atop his head as he grinned crazily toward the petite fairy who knew him to be a vampire from her past.

"You're supposed to be dead." She breathed in utter shock. Chucking more, the man brought his sleeve to wipe the revolting red stains from his mouth.

"That's not a polite thing to say to a friend after not seeing him for a thousand years," the wild man taunted as his eyes widened in delight upon the surprised woman. "How do you do, _Serenity_?_" _The one named Bakura hissed.

* * *

Thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter!: **Sesshy's Mistress, RoseMouto2010**, **Serena-hime, Krissy, Yami Nocturna, Artemis Day, Cosmic-lover, Anexya, devafiend, Saris Yui, SailorVmoon1311815, **and **dark-wolf-howl**!

So, the twist! Bakura is alive! O.o The battling scenes I had a hard time writing, I even consulted google about it and it wasn't that much help. -_-

I'd like to take a chance here to do a little bit of an extended author's note just because I feel this chapter is a bit of a "turning point" in the story. If any of you are frustrated with the fairies appearing "weak" keep in mind this is only their second night on Earth and they don't believe in (at all) violence/bloodshed and here they are thrust into a crazy, bloody battle. As well as being a romance this story will also cover a lot of changes that will occur between the characters since they all have different ideas on what's _right_ and and what's _wrong_.

Additionally, the relationships between the characters are very complicated (especially between Serenity and Yami) and I will reveal more and more throughout the story! With all the adventures I have planned for these characters I'm anticipating this story will end up being pretty long with a few side stories here and there as well! If there's anything that isn't clear at this point please let me know in a review or a PM!

Next chapter will chronicle what happened to Bakura a thousand years ago as well as the conclusion to the plundering of Kalseru!

Thanks again for everyone who read and especially those who encourage me by giving feedback!

~Kochou-hime


	8. A Thieving King

The Ostiary

Kochou-hime

**All characters belong to their respective owners.**

A Thieving King

_An eerie wind of stillness blew into the black night that had once been filled with the presence of war. The lingering sounds of roars and screams still rang within Serenity's ears even though dead silence now hung in the air. A hint of the faintest smell of iron floated around her as she aimed her crystalline blue stare toward a massive tower, purely white and shining like an enormous diamond under a sky littered with stars. Just as the golden blonde breathed a sigh of relief, she buckled under a surge of fatigue that went crashing into her like a ton of stones, for it had taken almost every ounce of her energy to seal the demon away. The fairy's exhausted body cared not if it fell as her wobbly legs gave way and her eyes fluttered close. But Serenity barely experienced the feeling of free fall because she was immediately swept into a pair of lightning fast arms. All the tension fled from her as she was brought against the warm and inviting form of another._

"_Open your eyes," a masculine voice ordered softly of her. "A champion should reap all the glory of her victory; especially when she's just saved the world." Slowly forcing her heavy eyelids to open, her blurred vision focused on a man she had come to know well. Yami gazed upon her with a small smile as the gentle breeze ruffled his spiked locks of hair. His glinting crimson eyes were swollen with utter admiration as he met her sleepy blue orbs with reverence. An infuriated roar in the distance caught his attention as he sent his emblazoned stare toward the massive prison. Feeling too exhausted to move her head as she rested it against his arm; she looked up toward him fearfully._

"_Is he still trapped?" Serenity asked in panic. Once again regarding her, his mouth pulled into a smirk she was all too familiar with._

"_The tower hasn't budged though he pounds the walls," The vampire replied, "it appears as if you've defeated the world's most dangerous adversary. How ever can we repay you oh divine savior?" His voice rang deep as he flashed a teasing grin. The blonde quickly flushed a deep shade of red._

"_It wasn't just me. There's no way he would have ever got here if it wasn't for you and the others." Serenity spoke groggily, "I doubt I'd even still be alive if it wasn't for you." Her blue eyes fell half lidded as the man who had, over such a long and arduous journey, become her friend, defender and lover leaned his face in closer to hers._

"_Even so, allow me to be the first to show my appreciation." Yami spoke lusciously, and with a pleased sigh gently brushed his lips against her own. A wave of warmth spread across her feeling so pleasant that she unconsciously whimpered against his mouth. Always willing to give her more, he lifted the fairy closer to him so she could feel the urgency in his kiss, as if she was the only thing in the entire world that was important to him. Just as everything seemed to be finally right the unexpected sound of a blood curdling scream startled the two from lip lock._

"_Bakura!" The sound of Mina's voice shrieked. Yami quickly whipped around, holding Serenity against him as he did so. Serenity's tired eyes fell on their group and felt the pit of her stomach drop when she saw the white haired vampire sprawled on his back upon the ground. The great golden dragon Ra, and his much smaller son Blue Eyes, a dragon with light blue skin that stood no taller than Seto standing beside him, hovered around the fallen. Mina was on her knees at Bakura's side, practically on top of him as she looked toward Serenity and Yami with tears flowing down her face._

"_He's badly injured!" She sobbed. "Serenity, you have to heal him!" Her cousin begged. Yami quickly made his way over to them holding the fae's queen protectively._

"_What in the hell happened? He was completely unharmed a few minutes ago." Seto grumbled, looking confoundedly upon the man._

"_She hasn't even the energy to stand, let alone heal him." Yami spoke of Serenity as he gently laid her onto the grass. "I'll heal him with my own blood." He answered and was by the other vampire's side in a flash. Crouching down he brought his wrist to his sharp teeth and suddenly paused upon a noise._

"_Stop." Bakura coughed as his brown eyes flashed open. Groaning he turned to Mina and smiled gently toward her just as a small trickle of blood escaped his mouth._

"_Bakura," Mina whispered as she moved her hand into his wild white bangs. "You're badly injured. Yami's going to heal you." She explained choking back a sob. Weakly shifting his arm, the injured vampire moved his hand over the one she used to support herself on the ground._

"_I think in the four thousand years I've terrorized this Earth with my existence, the thing I'll miss the most is seeing your perfect face every evening, my love." The man coughed, sputtering blood onto himself as he did so. Mina once again broke into sobs. Serenity watched on in utter confusion to why he had ordered Yami to stop, feeling utterly helpless as she lay completely without energy upon the cold grass. Shifting her gaze to the glint of something shiny, her eyes fell upon a silver dagger stained dark red near Bakura's opposite hand. Horror flowed through her veins as she noticed the blood pouring from the lying man's chest._

"_Yami," Serenity whispered quietly. Looking toward the exhausted fairy, he followed her line of sight. His blood colored eyes blazed upon the sharp object. Snatching it up quickly, he held it above his long time companion's face._

"_A silver dagger to the heart?" The proclaimed Vampire King snarled. "Really? I always knew you were mad, but trying to kill yourself? You're insane!" Mina's eyes grew wide as Yami chucked the weapon away._

"_Is this true?" She muttered in disbelief. The blonde looked utterly crushed as she withdrew her hand from his head._

"_It will never go away." Bakura groaned as he turned his dark brown eyes to the man who had always been his king whether he liked it or not. "That blasted demon made sure he'd always be a part of me. He's forever merged with my soul." The red-eyed vampire narrowed his gaze._

"_All of that is over! Zorc is sealed away forever, not even the Millennium items have the power to release him now." Yami barked. "So take my goddamn blood and appreciate it as I never thought the day would come that I'd slash my hide to save yours!" He finished with a growl and once again moved to spill blood for him._

"_Don't tell me you never wondered how Zorc returned to our world, again." Bakura spoke lowly, the man was fading fast as the blood continued to pour from him. "Or who placed the items upon the Millennium Stone to release him, even your precious puzzle, Pharaoh?" He drawled Yami's long forgotten title scathingly as the once human King pursed his lips. Serenity's blue orbs flew open wide as she realized what the bloodied man was suggesting._

"_Oh my…" Ra whispered, horrified as he took a step back. Mina could do nothing but cry as she gripped on to the man's blood stained shirt._

"_I barely remember it," Bakura spoke shamefully, "when that wretched creature would take over my body; my mind." The cold wind blew like ice across Serenity's skin as she fought hopelessly to lift herself from the ground. Her gut wrenched upon understanding the man's sacrificial intentions. "I forgive you; for what your family did to mine." He coughed. Yami opened his mouth to speak, but promptly clicked it shut as he looked in shock upon the man he knew longer than any other._

"_Let me make sure he can never escape again," Bakura's voice was barely audible now as he faded in and out of consciousness. "Let me do this for the only woman I've ever loved, the world, and for you." The frosty haired man uttered. Yami's eyes lit up in fire and grit his teeth down toward the dying._

"_And so you lived your life as a king and now you choose to die like a cowardly peasant!" The once Pharaoh roared angrily, "Why in the Gods' name would you do __**anything **__for me?" Giving Mina one last glance, the man who proclaimed himself the Thief King settled his eyes securely upon Yami._

"_Because you were my friend," he replied in a whisper upon the night's soft breeze, "when there was no one else." A solitary tear trickled down Bakura's face as his eyes slowly closed._

"_No!" Mina howled, floods of tears trailing down her face as she threw herself upon him. "Take my blood! You cannot die, no, not like this!" She cried out hysterically as Yami remained frozen. _

_Serenity watched on powerlessly, as she truly hadn't the energy to even try to intervene. The streams of liquid that escaped her eyes felt icy cold against her skin while she watched Seto forcefully pull her convulsing cousin away from her lover's body, screaming in pain as she fought against him. And as she moved her attention upon Yami, Serenity knew that she would never forget the look in his eyes; one that told of the loss of a friend._

* * *

"You are _not _Bakura," Serenity's voice rang coldly.

Blue irises clouded stormily with silver as Serenity narrowed her gaze. While gripping firmly onto the sword she held before her she glowered toward the vampire who stood grinning at the opposite end of the room.

"Why Serenity, I'm hurt," Bakura's face defied his words as it shone in absolute delight. "How can you be so sure?" He taunted with a soft chuckle.

"Because I watched him die for the ones he loved," The Queen responded passionately, "I was there when he was buried in the desert sands; the place he always called home." The wild haired man broke into a fit of stifled snickers as his brown eyes glittered toward the petite fairy.

"I find that one of the best things about being a tomb robber," The crazed man announced as he flashed his fangs, "is that you become very good at _digging _yourself out of sticky situations." He demonstrated expressively as he curled the fingers on his hands before him. Quickly tossing his attention upon the Queen's sibling, he tilted his head in interest.

"Another fairy? Ooh!" The crazed man spoke excitedly as Jou grit his teeth. "And what exactly do you keep looking at behind me?" The vampire trailed as he casually shifted his gaze. His brown eyes lit up as they filled with a great golden object that hung on the wall just beyond the throne. The two fairies' eyes widened in horror as the impossibly fast figure easily snatched the great axe from the wall and returned to his previous position in a flash. Twirling the gigantic specimen in his hands, he returned his manic stare toward the throne room's most recent guests.

"Deadly weapons and gold are my absolute _favorite_," Bakura cackled, "How did you know?"

"Hand the axe over creep and no one gets hurt!" Jou suddenly barked earning a horrified look from his sister. Bakura's mouth curved into an ill-intending smile.

"As lovely as it is to see you again, Serenity, I'm afraid you aren't the person I was waiting for." Bakura spoke sinisterly, "In fact, I've grown rather tired of dining on dirty dwarfs, so the prospect of a delicious fairy is hardly one I'm able to resist!" He bellowed and made a fast lunge toward Jou, swinging the golden talisman to his side.

Time seemed to grow sluggish as Serenity's body was thrust into action acting only on instinct. As she leapt before her startled brother, the Queen let her arms fly and the sword in her hands slashed deep into flesh. The horrifying sound of the man's howl and the feeling of cutting into another made Serenity's arms quiver as she stared into the gaping wound across Bakura's chest. Dropping the axe, the white haired man grabbed on to the golden ring that still hung around his neck and groaned.

"What sort of weapon could leave such a scorching injury upon _me_?" The white haired man roared as the wound produced a quiet sizzle and a burning scent. Serenity narrowed her eyes and gripped onto the hilt of her now bloodied sword.

"One you should be familiar with," she spoke lowly, "a blade blessed beneath the sun." Jou gaped at his sister's boldness and quickly moved out from behind her to her side as he brandished his own weapon.

"The _Holy _Blade." Bakura's eyes lit up as a malevolent smirk replaced his pained features. "That doesn't belong to you." The vampire sang. Serenity watched in horror as her inflicted injury was quickly shrinking as it began to heal itself.

"No, it does not. Minako lent it to me." The fairy replied through pursed lips. A sudden subtle change washed over Bakura as he paused upon the sound of the name. His threatening brown eyes clouded over, becoming glossy in memory. A beam of hope surfaced within Serenity as she studied the dangerous man. Perhaps the remembrance of the woman Bakura loved would bring sense to his blood thirsty madness. But just as the wound fully healed, a laughing smirk returned to his face.

"How is she doing, nowadays?" Bakura asked in sarcastic endearment, "Now, that one was a lot of fun, delicious too!" The man announced amusedly. Jou let out an audible growl as he stared down the recovered man.

"Stop this!" Serenity ordered as she eyed the one she previously thought to be an imposter. But was he Bakura? He recognized the sword and made that terribly callous statement about her cousin, the one he had supposedly sworn his devotion. The man merely chuckled at her protest.

"Fine. If I can't have your little friend for dinner," the vampire spoke as he licked his lips, "I'll just have you!"

Before anyone had the chance to even flinch a flash caught Serenity's peripheral vision and Bakura went flying into the wall with a thunderous crash that shook the entire cavern. Wide crimson eyes looked in surprise upon the person before them just before they clouded over blackly with contempt. The snowy haired vampire let out a grunt as a small stream of blood leaked from his mouth. His dark brown eyes lit up as he looked at the one who held him into the crumbling rock wall.

"Well if it isn't the man of the hour," Bakura's raspy voice rang, "I was wondering how long it would take you to find my message and come looking for me."

"_What_?" Yami roared as he revealed his fangs in a snarl. The other released a pained chuckle.

"The map, idiot! Who else in this goddamned world can pen Egyptian?" Bakura cackled, in a maddened voice that made Serenity shiver as she looked on in complete astonishment. Yami growled lowly as he forcibly pushed Bakura's body deeper into the wall, causing fragments of rocks to tumble to the floor.

"I don't know how you're alive, and frankly I don't care," Yami's voice rumbled darkly as he pushed his forearm into the trapped man's neck. His death promising eyes glowed ferociously as he stared into thief with pure hatred. "You bare your fangs and threaten them on Serenity?" His voice cracked accusingly, "I'll put you back in your grave!" The once Pharaoh shrieked smoldering in fury.

"Still her loyal guard dog? What a surprise." Bakura voiced laboriously against his constricted neck. "Doesn't anything ever change around here?" A sudden flash of light caught the Vampire King's eyes as he glanced down toward the item around the other man's neck and balked. "Did you really think offing me would be that easy?" In a flicker of movement Yami's back smashed into the ground with Bakura on top of him.

"Yami!" Serenity wailed as she rushed forward and quickly halted as the men were viciously grappling on the ground. Thinking fast, Jou seized the Golden Axe from the floor and wrapped his free hand around the Queen's wrist.

"C'mon we gotta get out of here and inform the others!" Jou commanded. The shorter fairy whipped her blue eyes toward him.

"No, I'm not leaving Yami alone with him!" She argued and snapped back her hand. Jou grit his teeth.

"They're going to tear this place to the ground!" The hazel eyed blonde barked.

True to his words, the two vampires destroyed everything they came in contact with, with exception of the other. Thrown and dodged blows sounded like thunder as they shattered into the solid rock floor as each tried to gain the upper hand. Snarls and growls ripping through their throats, the disturbing scent of iron spewed into the air from shared injuries. Scrambling to his feet, Bakura lunged away with Yami quickly following in hot pursuit. Grabbing onto what was the now the deceased Noah's throne, the white haired vampire flung it into the other man savagely. Yami fell backwards with a loud groan and Bakura was on top of him once more in a matter of seconds. Serenity felt helpless as the two tore at each other, unable to think of how to stop them.

Quite suddenly, the Eye of Horus lit up on Yami's forehead and Bakura relinquished his clawing hands to grip his head; howling in pain. In a swift movement the mind crushing vampire rolled to pin Bakura beneath him and fiercely plunged his fangs into his throat. Unexpectedly, the famed thief flailed his hands and pushed Yami away from his vulnerable neck, seemingly now unaffected by the other's power. The King displayed a bloody snarl as he looked upon the other who covered his wound with his non restraining hand.

"Those old tricks don't work on me, Pharaoh!" Bakura cackled as the Millennium Ring suddenly flashed and the white haired vampire vanished from under him. Before Yami could react he collapsed into the stone floor as Bakura came crashing from above and sent a sharp elbow into his back. A pained groan was forced from his throat upon impact, but the powerful man quickly rolled under Bakura and stopped his flurried punches by catching his fists with his two hands. The two rumbled as they struggled against the other's nearly equal strength.

"All I want is the Millennium Items, _dear_ King," Bakura panted as he tried to gain dominance over the mighty vampire. "I've already obtained most of them, but I would appreciate you handing over your precious puzzle." Yami's eyes widened.

"You know where it is," The man with bloody eyes hissed, "why don't you go get it yourself!" He roared as he snapped his hand behind Bakura's head and slammed it into the ground. Bakura chuckled lightly as he pulled his head from the destroyed stone.

"Very funny," the proclaimed Thief King wheezed as both men kept their distance, huffing as they caught their breath. The two men sat with torn clothing, littered with the occasional scrapes and bite marks that quickly began to heal. "I want it put together, every piece in its proper place." Yami sat back on his hands and slung his head to one side with a malicious grin.

"What's a matter? Too dumb to figure it out yourself?" The tri-colored haired man taunted. Bakura scowled and grit his teeth toward the other man. "I suppose this answers our inquiry. You're trying to release Zorc," Yami accused with his narrowed gaze, "But it won't work, he cannot be liberated with the Millennium Stone, or did you forget?" Bakura immediately flashed his seething gaze toward Serenity who put on her most serious expression as she stood defensively beside her brother.

"Yes, I remember her majesty making sure of _that_," he grumbled and immediately moved his attention back to the other vampire when he released an infuriated growl.

"Look at her again and I'll tear your eyes out!" Yami thundered, "Serenity. Is. _Mine_." His voice rang lowly. Serenity flinched, she had learned a long time ago that vampires would explicitly defend their possessions from others if they felt they were threatened, yet she didn't particularly appreciate being considered spoken of as she was an object, especially not his. Jou's eyes widened upon such a statement, and he tossed his sibling a questioning glance to which she promptly ignored.

"Yes, yes I know." Bakura spoke, appearing as if he was gaining back his strength, "Relax, I don't need her as Lord Zorc is already free!" Serenity felt a harrowing twinge within her heart at the man's confirming words.

"I don't believe you," Yami growled blackly. Bakura revealed a victorious grin.

"Well, start believing. The Shadow Lord has escaped his imprisonment and used his unholy powers to revive me from the dead as his loyal servant," The maddened man explained, "Did you not hear of the display of his power? A massacre of four hundred men with just a single breath from his lungs, I was sure that fool Shimon would come running to you the minute he heard." Bakura grinned when Yami narrowed his eyes.

"If what you say is true why is he hiding? That demon may be a lot of things but I hadn't realized he was a coward also." Yami snarled.

"He wishes to call a truce, an alliance if you will," Bakura answered, "Lord Zorc has recognized you to be his most worthy opponent as you've bested him twice over the past few millennia and wishes to make you, oh dark Pharaoh, his right hand man, even over me. I figured instead of crawling the Earth looking for you, I'd lure you to me here."

"No," Yami rejected the offer immediately without any negotiation.

"Think about it old friend," Bakura whispered lowly, "We aren't all so different than him, you and I. Don't you remember how much fun we used to have before this fiasco a thousand years ago?" The thief chuckled in memory, "All those lives we destroyed, claiming their delicious blood as our victory. Even the bravest of men would wet themselves at the sound of either of our names, especially yours, because dare I say you were even more ruthless than I." The Vampire King appeared unresponsive as he glared into the nostalgic man.

"You've remained quiet over the past millennia, Yami. Only the old ones remember your fearsome reputation and all the others think you only to be a fairytale told to scare small children before bedtime." Bakura spoke distastefully. "Under Zorc you can have all of it back; everything that made you great and more. The Dark Lord encourages it. He loves death, blood, and pain. All he wants is the items to prove your allegiance, especially the completed puzzle." The man's words riled passion within Serenity as she made her attention known to the vampires.

"You cannot possibly believe that," The Queen glared into Bakura, "Zorc wishes for no one's happiness! He wishes to destroy the world!" She protested. Zorc's proclaimed servant turned to her in amusement.

"Don't worry little Queen, the way Yami favors you you'll be safe and sound as his pretty little pet." The vampire grinned.

"I told you not to look at her!" The Vampire King bellowed, once again earning Bakura's eyes. He slowly got to his feet as he loomed menacingly over the other who cautiously stood up. "I'd tell you to relay my polite decline to your master, but I'm afraid I'm going to destroy you here and now, traitor!" Yami roared.

"You know, I'm really not surprised," Bakura sneered, "I offer you the perfect existence and you decline. Are you really so afraid of being a subordinate, even to the most powerful creature in the world?"

"Most powerful creature in the world?" Yami repeated with a smirk, "If I recall I've defeated him twice, so what does that make me? The most powerful man in the universe?" Bakura's face lit up in fury upon his words.

"Have it your way. Its game over for you, _Pharaoh_!" The Thief King screeched.

"More like game over for _you_." A sultry feminine voice sounded from the back of the room. Serenity turned her head to the noise and felt relieved upon seeing Mai, Seto transformed with his two werewolf companions, flanked by Rei and Endymion, all poised to attack.

"Long time, no see, Bakura," Seto's low voice rumbled, "I've seen you joined the dark side this time. I'll admit I'm going to enjoy tearing you apart!" The man barked. Bakura narrowed his eyes toward the werewolf.

"I've always been on the _dark side_,dear friend," the vampire replied, "How have you been, mutt? I hear you've been in the business of murdering your own family. Kill anymore siblings in the past thousand years?" Bakura brandished a terrible smirk. Seto's eyes lit up in fury as he all but charged the white haired man. Shifting his gaze quickly back to Yami, a serious expression overtook his mirth.

"As much as I'd like to continue this, it appears the odds no longer bode well for me," The vampire assessed. "I imagine I'll be seeing you again, and if you change your mind, bring me the completed puzzle and our little arrangement will still stand, but I warn you, Zorc isn't very patient. He'll make his presence known, very soon." Bakura advised.

"The only way you're leaving this room is in pieces." Yami threatened as he took an ill-intending step toward the man. Bakura shook his head in a tsk'ing manner and pointed to the ring hanging around his neck. Realizing his mistake, Yami immediately lunged toward him but crashed to his hands and knees when the laughing man disappeared into thin air. The vampire froze for a moment glaring into his hands as the tatters of his shirt swept the floor. With a heave of anger he let out an infuriated howl and made the floor tremble as he struck it with his fist.

* * *

Serenity stood silently, wrapping Yami's long coat around her as she listened to the plethora of arguments flying amongst the group of peculiar company. They had relocated just outside the mountain city and Serenity did her best to not forfeit the contents within her stomach at the sight lingering smell of blood that covered the rocky ground. After informing Ra of who they had come across within the throne room, chaotic disagreement ensued ranging on whether or not Bakura had been lying about Zorc's liberation, or if he actually _was _the familiar vampire most of them had come to know well in the first place.

"Alright, alright. So no one knows if that he was lying or whatever," Jou redirected, "Maybe we should focus on what we should do next, do we keep on trying to get to Babylonia or do we go after those Millennium Item things that Bakura guy was going on about?" The Fae Prince paid no heed to the irritated glare he received from Seto. Yami, who had been unusually silent throughout the discussions suddenly turned on heel and began walking away.

"Where are you going?" Mai inquired with a raised eyebrow. Pausing in his steps, the vampire bothered not to turn around. Serenity cast her eyes upon his back and blinked. In all the time she had been away from him she was surprised at how much she had forgotten how perfect in appearance he truly was. The tears in his black shirt showed patches of glorious golden skin stretched across a molded physique so refined it seemed impossible. The contours and hard lines defining his stalwart muscles was a feverish reminder of just how mighty he had been even before he had become a terrifying vampire who commanded a liege of impressive and incredibly dark powers.

It was a question she had asked herself so many times: how could someone so regal and beautiful be capable of such monstrous things. Bakura's depiction of their lives before she had even been born was just a reminder of what she had already known about him. That magnificent man was gifted with the power of terror and the uncanny ability to bring misery and death upon anyone or anything he wished. Serenity couldn't even fathom the number lives he had destroyed in his lifetime, or the sheer amount of families he had ripped apart simply for his own amusement and she knew this to be fact as he had shared the information with her himself.

And what was most paradoxical about all of this is that to her he was something entirely different. Yami was the type of hero that could give you nightmares. Always there when danger loomed, that vigorous man defended her fearlessly, with such ferocity that the assailants usually gave up before he even laid a finger on them. He was like a knight in armor, only it wasn't all that shiny; it was black and covered in blood. If he wasn't protecting her from threatening monsters he spent every other moment loving her with every sense of the word. At first she had found this absurd, how could someone like him _love _anything? But it was undeniably true, and although he had never said the words aloud she knew it with all of her being. The fairy suspected he had refrained because he knew she could never honestly return the same feelings. And how could she devote herself to someone who loved everything she denounced?

Why hadn't he accepted Bakura's offer? If the vampire had been voicing the truth wouldn't it have been his ideal world? It seemed absolutely incredible to her that he was ready to annihilate the friend he had trusted longer than anyone for merely threatening her life. The red-eyed creature of the night was crazy about killing and hurting things and that's when it dawned upon her. Perhaps of all these unforgiving things this enigmatic man enjoyed, maybe he just simply loved her more. And that in itself made the lovely blonde feel horrid, because even though somewhere deep within she wanted him more than anything, she knew she could never accept him for the blood thirsty beast he was.

"I'm going to find Bakura." Yami spoke finitely not bothering to turn around.

"And do what?" Ra's heavy voice asked, "Destroy the entire world while the two of you try to kill each other?" The great dragon shook his mighty head. "I know you're angry Yami but going after him now is not the best course of action."

"Perhaps he's going to join forces," Seto's voice challenged snidely. "After all, Yami and Bakura have been _such _good friends for thousands of years." At this, the vampire turned his hardened red gaze upon the werewolf and snarled.

"Make no mistake," he spoke promisingly, "No matter what is actually going on here. I _will _butcher him and ensure he won't be digging himself out of anymore tombs." Yami spoke firmly. Tension spread amongst everyone, but Serenity let out a breath of relief when the tan skinned vampire, still at some distance from the group, turned to lean against the mountain and let his eyes close.

"Honda, you're injured!" The quiet Hotaru suddenly interjected. Turning her eyes to the pointy haired werewolf he had a hand clamped over a wound at his shoulder.

"It's alright," the brunette shrugged and winced at the pain. "It should heal pretty quickly." But the young girl shook her head and gingerly reached her fingers up to the wound. Serenity's eyes lit up in wonder as at the girl's touch the wound magically healed.

"Whoa! Thanks Hotaru," Honda grinned. The flaxen haired fairy found herself smiling fondly toward the dark haired girl. She now had something to discuss with her as they shared a common ability.

"What do you think we should do, Serenity?" Endymion's soft voice asked of her. Being shocked at the question, Serenity's eyes went wide as she noticed everyone's, with the exception of Yami's, attention fall onto her.

"Well," the Ostiary to Zorc's prison spoke after a pause. "As Ra has said many times, since he has not revealed himself the only way to ensure Zorc has not been released is to check for ourselves." Ra gave a hearty nod.

"Then we continue on to Babylonia," The golden dragon announced.

"I agree," Seto chimed in also with a nod of approval toward Serenity. "I am however concerned about Bakura wanting the Millennium Items. Hey blood-sucker!" He called out to Yami but he didn't flinch, "Where did you stash the puzzle?"

"He knows where to find it. But it is impossible for him to put it together." The vampire spoke cryptically. Rei lifted a brow in scrutiny toward the man.

"Impossible or implausible? Maybe you're not giving him enough credit." The raven haired fairy pointed out. Yami suddenly left the wall and began walking away.

"Impossible." He replied with his back turned. Serenity watched him leave with a frown just as Anzu joined their group from where she had been out scouting with perfect timing.

"I found a small town with several inns not too far from here." The female werewolf informed, "Although I'd prefer to sleep in the woods I figured after a night like tonight we could all use some reprieve."

"I agree, Serenity and Endymion, you should allow Anzu to escort you and your parties there at least for the night while we gather our bearings." Ra suggested. Serenity nodded as a hand fell on her shoulder.

"Ready to go sis?" Jou asked with a soft smile. Looking back to where Yami had walked away from sight she turned to her brother.

"Yes, just give me a few minutes?" And with his nod she walked toward where the vampire had left their party.

Serenity walked the well trodden path slowly just around a corner of the mountain where she spotted the dark skinned vampire looking out into the night sky. Forcing her mind to forget the blood that stained the mountain's surface she looked toward him with a glossy and emotion heavy gaze. If his frayed shirt allowed his back to look wonderful it granted an extraordinary view of his marvelous torso. Yami was as solid as men come, unlike in more recent times where men became lazy and spent their days eating rather than using their God given bodies to perform incredible feats of athleticism and strength. But this man had been birthed in a different time, where Kings were not lazy but instead rode into battle and worked alongside the men they ruled. His bronze skin told of the days he once spent beneath the sun and the firm lines along his abdomen showed power and a body trained to do anything a capable man should. Feeling at once improper for ogling him as he still failed to acknowledge her, she reached for his coat that she wore so that he could at least attempt to properly clothe himself.

"Keep it." The vampire spoke, a small smile creeping on his face although he didn't take his eyes away from the great black and star filled sky. Serenity couldn't help but reveal a small smile.

"And how many jackets have I stolen from you?" She asked sounding playful as she looked upon him.

"Hundreds probably," he answered finally regarding her with his astounding crimson-eyed gaze. "But I wouldn't have it any other way." He admitted softly. Serenity let out a small puff of foggy breath but in this moment felt completely warm in the presence of the man she held a very conflicted torch for.

"I considered going after him anyway, even though it was against Ra's wishes," Yami spoke to her as she made her way closer to him, yet still maintaining a friendly distance. "But I found I couldn't fathom the idea of leaving you unprotected." Serenity let out a small sigh but smiled lightly.

"I'm not unprotected," she corrected him, "and I'm more capable than you think." He chuckled lightly.

"But you wouldn't be protected by _me_." The man clarified.

"Do you really think that was Bakura?" The Moon's Queen asked seriously. Turning his eyes back to the sky, he sighed.

"Yes, but how, and whether or not Zorc is free I'm not sure. Regardless, that demon is most certainly involved." Turning his reverent gaze back to her she met his eyes in agony.

"How could he of escaped? You know I would never have let him out." Serenity whispered. The vampire nodded.

"That's something I've been thinking about," Yami admitted, "In the tower, do you know if there are any shadows?" He asked. Serenity tilted her head in thought to which Yami could only crack a smile upon her.

"The tower is crafted completely from light, how is that possible?" She reminisced. Rolling his tongue in thought, the dark man turned to her once more.

"In the corners on the ground and at the pillar at the top, there could be small places of darkness." The man assessed, "Though it would be very difficult for him to access the shadow realm from such a small opening."

"Perhaps if he was able to reach into the shadows a little bit over a _thousand _years he may have accomplished something." Serenity sighed as her companion's eyes widened upon her statement. "I guess my design failed." The Queen spoke forlornly to which Yami vehemently shook his head.

"No, it was my lack of foresight. I should have better informed you. Even the slightest patch of darkness that demon can manipulate." The vampire graciously held any blame on his own shoulders. Silence befell the two as they both considered their new discovery.

"I didn't kill them all," Yami suddenly spoke earning the petite woman's gaze. "For what it's worth, you really pissed me off when I saw you in that blasted cave." The vampire admitted with a lopsided smile.

"And you really angered me when you fooled me, so I suppose we're even then?" She asked feeling somewhat better despite the massive loss of life that had occurred this evening. Even though Yami nodded an unsettling thought rolled around her mind.

"Actually, we're not even," Serenity spoke again and caught his inquisitive stare. "You saved Jou's life tonight and I can never be more grateful. Thank you." She spoke genuinely holding her left hand upon her heart. Yami's eyes glowed upon her, as if he was worshipping her with his gaze.

"Your brother being alive pleases you, does it not?" The vampire asked simply.

"Of course," Serenity replied immediately, as if it were a silly question. He smirked.

"Then no thanks are required, because that's why I'm here. To please you, that is." He raised his eyebrow suggestively as he caught Serenity off guard with a blush. She laughed at herself inwardly feeling like a young girl all over again. But nevertheless, regardless of his reasons she couldn't help but be eternally thankful for protecting a person that meant so much for her. Meeting his eyes with her own blue orbs again she gave him a half smile.

"Promise me you won't move, for just a minute." She requested suddenly. Although his eyes lit up wearily he grinned.

"Alright," he reverberated lowly.

Counting down the slow seconds in her head she closed the space between them with languid steps. Standing just before him, she shrugged off the jacket and reached around him to gently settle it around his shoulders. His warm skin burned pleasantly upon her fingertips as she softly retracted her hands.

"You should take the jacket. I know you're not cold but your shirt may cause some poor woman a heart attack if she should see you." Serenity laughed. Yami's eyes melted upon her, but he obeyed his promise, neither flinching nor speaking. Drawing in a quick breath the slender woman lifted herself up on her toes and placed a gentle kiss upon his cheek. His fiery skin excited her once cool lips as she dropped down and away from his face with a small smile.

"Thank you for looking after my brother and I tonight," She spoke softly as it appeared like he was struggling to stay still. "Now, we're even. Goodnight." And with that farewell she turned to rejoin her companions, but as soon as those ungodly slow sixty seconds had passed a dark chuckle flitted by her ears. Turning back to look at him she almost crumbled at the sight of his red-hot eyes with a wide and fanged grin adorning his face.

"For someone who is supposed to be nothing but kind you are _so_ terribly wicked." His voice rolled in a seductive growl. Serenity found herself speechless, thinking her act nothing but innocent she couldn't move her attention away from those crazed and desirous eyes. Grabbing the collar of the jacket, the vampire pulled it to his nose and inhaled her scent deeply with a pleasant sigh.

"There's a saying from long ago we had for foreigners who made aggressive moves at the borders of Egypt." Yami smirked coyly as he stared down the surprised fairy. "Those who attack first should be prepared for war." He slid his tongue across his teeth as Serenity looked toward him confoundedly. It took her a few moments but her blue eyes widened in realization.

"You've made the first move Serenity, so I sincerely hope you're prepared for retaliation." He could hardly contain his wicked grin as he quickly winked at her. "Good night." He bid her as the flustered woman could do nothing more but hurriedly make way back to her brother and the others. What _had_ she gotten herself into?

As Yami amusedly watched the fairy round the mountain's bend, the sudden sound of a labored moan caught his ears. Appearing confused at first, the man quickly replaced the expression with a mirthful smirk. Stepping over to a pile of rocks, he easily pushed away the large boulders and his eyes beamed down toward the person within them. A dwarf with teal hair cried as he attempted to crawl away on his arms over the sharp rocks that pulled into his once pristine mauve jacket.

"And to think I had almost forgotten about you. It's a good thing you didn't get away," The red-eyed vampire taunted as the man could only wail in pain. "But then again that would have been rather difficult with two broken legs." Yami snarled and plucked the man from the rock pile by one of the shattered appendages with ease and dropped him to the ground unceremoniously.

The short man howled in torment and looked up toward his captor with terrified and tear stricken eyes. Humming as he darted his gaze around, Yami focused on a particular object and revealed a grin. Plucking the man's iron pickaxe from the pile of rocks he twirled it in his hands, and looked back to the dwarf with a raised brow, as if he was sizing him up. The pained man's mouth dropped in absolute horror, clearly recalling the vampire's vow to him earlier than evening.

"Oh good, you remember!" Yami spoke revealing a malicious smirk. "Then you'll understand why I can't be lenient with you. You see, even though this night put me, surprisingly, in a better mood than I had hoped I'm afraid I cannot forgive you." The vampire wagged a finger before him in scolding. "If only you hadn't of threatened _her_; I keep a rather strict policy about that, unfortunately for you." Yami seemed to recall the event clearly as he pulled his upper lip into a snarl.

"Please, please no! Just let me go!" The man blubbered. Yami shook his head as he loomed over the crushed man, continually examining the weapon in his hand.

"Your name is Espa, isn't it?" The dangerous man asked. Espa responded only with moans and tears. "Well Espa, I have a feeling it's going to be a long night so we might as well get to know each other better." The vampire said with a shrug.

"So tell me, Espa, what's your opinion on _games_?"

* * *

Serenity released an exhausted sigh as she collapsed on the bed, only momentarily considering not changing clothes as she was truly _that _exhausted. With the confusing night's events still fresh on her mind she was shocked from her thoughts when a soft rapping was heard at her door. Standing from the bed, she cautiously cracked the door and sighed with relief when she saw her brother.

"Hey Jou," the fairy greeted.

"Hey Bunny," Jou said somewhat uncomfortably, "I was wondering if I could talk to you for a few minutes?" Serenity nodded and allowed her sibling to enter the room; shutting the door behind him. The hazel eyed blonde sat on the edge of the bed where the Moon's Queen immediately joined him.

"Are you feeling ok Jou? I know what happened in the mountain was terrible-" Serenity began but was quickly cut off.

"Look," her brother interrupted. "You know I would never nose into your business. I respect your privacy…" he trailed. Serenity felt her stomach drop, as she knew immediately where this conversation was going.

"And you also know I'm not one to judge, and even though I've never asked ya before or ever really cared- I even remember I'm not supposed to talk about it here but, I just gotta know…"

"What is it Jou?" Serenity asked carefully, her heart beating a mile a minute. Sucking in a deep breath, the lightning wielding fairy locked his eyes with hers.

"Who is Rini's father?" The question sliced through the tense air like a sharp sword cutting into a tree. Serenity leveled her stare evenly with his as she took a deep breath of her own.

"When I last came to the Old Land to seal away Zorc, Yami and I-" Serenity paused. "Were close." She finished as her brother replied with a slow nod of understanding. "But not only is it impossible for he to be Rini's father as his kind does not reproduce through offspring; I truly have not been in his company for a thousand years." Serenity explained carefully as Jou released a sigh of relief.

"Seiya, the Grand Duke of Starlight is Rini's father." The Moon's Queen spilled the beans tactfully. "And he has been sworn to silence on this parentage." Jou gave a victorious fist pump into the air.

"I knew it!" He laughed excitedly, "He's been acting so cocky over the past few years! And that brand new Palace and all that stuff you gave him? I knew it!" Jou wiped his forehead with relief. Serenity tried to look happy but bit onto her bottom lip instead.

"Sorry to bother you about this sis, after what I heard in the mountain-"Jou paused as the Queen held up her hand.

"Its fine Jou, I should have told you earlier." She explained as the male fairy merely shrugged.

"Look Bunny," Jou gave his sister a sly smile as he stood from the bed, "I think you should love whoever you love and if you love that guy, even though he's scary as hell, I think you should be with him." Her sibling grinned as Serenity's mouth fell open dumbfoundedly. "Even if Rini was his, I wouldn't mind. It wouldn't make me her love her any less! But you know how some of those jerks are up there. They talk so badly about fairy halflings and I don't even want to imagine how'd they react to someone who was half vampire!" Jou sighed, "I'm just glad we won't have to worry about it. Thanks sis, you really put my mind at ease!" He gave her a thumbs up as he nearly skipped outside the door and closed it behind him.

Serenity sat in silence for a few minutes staring at the closed door. As she promptly picked up her jaw from the floor, she was overcome with remorse as she flopped down upon the bed. She really hated lying, especially to her family, but she had learned a long time ago that, like a ferocious vampire, she would do just about _anything _to protect what she loved: her precious daughter.

* * *

Gaaaaah! Super Super thanks to: **dark-wolf-howl, Serena-hime, Cosmic-lover, Anexya, Artemis Day, Yami Nocturna, Krissy, Sara, Sesshy's Mistress, anonymous, SailorVMoon131185, **and** EnuNR-zero **for reviewing last time! Thank you so much! Your comments really motivate me to work really hard on these chapters! I get like…review highs I think!

For those of you who haven't seen it: Check out "The Ostiary's" second side story "Guilty of Being Innocent" It's pretty much all Serenity/Yami and gives a lot of back-plot so check it out if you're interested!

Hopefully this chapter was exciting…it was definitely very informative, and I'm assuming that bomb I dropped at the end was at least exciting XD. All I'm gonna say is be careful what you assume…and that's all I'm gonna say!

Next time (just a little preview): The map reveals a very interesting task, Jou gets challenged into behaving very differently, Yami wishes to visit a person he trusts, and Bakura reveals more to what is a_ctually _going on.

'Til next time! Please read and review! I'd love to know what you think (good or bad!)

~Kochou-hime


	9. The Legacy

The Ostiary

Kochou-hime

**All characters belong to their respective owners.**

The Legacy

Serenity was quite surprised she had been able to sleep through the rest of the night let alone well into the next day. While last evening's events had been unsettling to say the least, her incredible exhaustion and the thankfully soft bed of the inn had catered to a coma-like sleep. Fastening her soft and long hair into the style that had earned her the nick-name 'Bunny' so long ago, the woman's thoughtful eyes paused to observe her reflection in the vanity. The Moon's Queen hardly recognized the plain clothed person staring back at her. Though she had only spent but a few eventful nights on the blue Earth it was incredibly strange to see such a different version of herself considering for the past one thousand years she had looked the part of the Fae's elegant sovereign day after infinite day. Normally she would have welcomed the change if it were not for the current circumstances.

Sending her gaze to confirm the door to be closed, she reached into her gray jacket and removed a creased piece of paper. Unfolding it flat upon the wooden surface, she smiled wryly on the image of Rini's parting gift to her. Wiping a single nostalgic tear away from her eye she let her fingers drift over the Small Lady's self depiction. Not having spent more than a night's sleep away from the five year old the current absence away from the pink haired child made her heart ache. Being unable to speak or think about her only made matters worse as she guiltily let her thoughts focus on the Princess while no one was around to probe into her mind. A sudden knock at the door sent Serenity into a scramble. Quickly she stuffed the precious paper into her subspace satchel, where it couldn't be easily found.

"Come in," she directed as calmly as she could. Rising from her seat she was surprised to see none other but the tall and handsome Endymion in the open doorway.

"Queen Serenity," he spoke with a small and polite bow, "Are you feeling well? Myself and the others were concerned." He inquired pleasantly.

"Yes, I apologize for keeping you all waiting I was only tired," she explained as she walked to where he stood just inside the room. Blue eyes met their equals and the human King revealed a warm and reverent smile to the much shorter woman before him.

"It's no problem, and I definitely understand especially after a night like the last," Endymion held out his arm with intentions of taking hers. "Although we cannot meet with the rest of our party until this evening we were discussing getting a head start on consulting the map's next instructions since we already have the axe." Blinking at the offered arm, Serenity politely accepted it and was led out into the hallway.

"Perhaps that would be best, the sooner we can put an end to this mystery the better." The Queen spoke woefully, her conflicted thoughts still focused on missing her daughter.

"As terrible as all this violence has been, there's still a part of me that can't help but feel like I'm trapped in a miraculous dream." The tall black haired man spoke airily. Serenity turned to look at him like he had grown a third eyeball. Catching her eyes, his own gaze sparkled upon her. "Over these past few years I've often thought about the time we spent together on the Moon."

The fairy's stomach wrenched. Humans were presumed to be passing in their interests as they were transient in regards to their life spans (vampires too, they were _supposed _to be too narcissistic to worry about anyone else but themselves). Yet, Endymion's sentiments regarding his feelings for her appeared to be just as strong as they had been the day he returned to his own Kingdom from hers. Serenity quickly cast her blue eyes to the ground guiltily; dealing with the advances of one past flame, who was in no way a person to be trifled with, was difficult enough. She hadn't near enough energy to deal with two.

Finally reaching Endymion's suite, she was relieved to see Jou and Rei present, along with Hotaru. Serenity immediately sympathized with her sibling; his dark haired love wanted nothing to do with him as Rei stood as far as she could away at the other end of the room. Although the hazel eyed man seemed troubled by this, he immediately perked up on the arrival of new company. Holding up the cloth wrapped axe he grinned goofily.

"I got the axe Bunny, let's check out the map!"

After they all gathered around the floor with the parchment spread out neatly on its surface, five wondrous faces peered down upon the scribbles of an old Fae language that suddenly appeared on the once blank surface.

"From the far East nothing compares to its royal glimmer," Serenity translated the text aloud as it appeared in flowing black ink. "To be given such a token would secure any lover's stay. The Idol's Eye is a treasure like no other. To the one in whom it is presented will be shown the way…" The Fae Queen's crystal blue eyes blinked. She was completely puzzled as she replayed the riddle back through her head. A sudden small laugh caught her attention.

"Believe it or not, I actually know what this is!" Endymion announced as he tossed his happy gaze to Serenity.

"Please, do share," Rei suggested with a skeptical eyebrow. The King merely grinned.

"The Idol's Eye is a famous heirloom within my family," The dark haired man explained, "It's an incredibly rare blue diamond, to which there is no equal. Centuries ago it was fashioned into an engagement ring where the inheriting male would give it to his chosen bride as a token of their marriage to be."

"So you have this thing, huh?" Jou asked excitedly, "Then great! This'll be easy!" Endymion shook his head lightly.

"Not exactly," He responded, dispelling the fairy's immediate good mood. "My cousin, Lord Sapphire of Atra has the ring. I believe he was planning on gifting it to a fiancé in just three days time. I myself was invited to the affair of his choosing but turned it down because of our quest." He said with a shrug. "The black lands of Atra are far from here, but we should be able to make it there easily," Endymion reassured the group filled with long faces. "I'm sure he'll be more than happy to loan it to me regardless of the circumstances. I mean, we are blood and I am the King after all." Serenity's heart swelled at this suggestion. The mere chance that they could achieve the next task the map had given them without a single drop of spilled blood or loss of life was an overwhelmingly pleasant idea.

"That would be wonderful, Endymion!" Serenity spoke with a bright smile. The King promptly blushed under her praise-filled attention. "We'll inform the others tonight!"

* * *

When night took over the once sun-filled sky, the fairies and human companions met up with their counterparts in the nearby wilderness within the mountain. Meeting in wild areas was most convenient for their party, as Ra's appearance near the small town or any village of humans would cause quite a stir. Just as they had revealed the map's instructions and Endymion's explanation, Yami immediately scoffed upon the young King's proposed plan.

"That isn't what the map said," the crimson-eyed vampire refuted with a snarl. The human King turned his attention to the ill-famed man with an unhappy expression of his own.

"I think the map very clearly described its requirement for the Idol's Eye." Endymion responded boldly.

"No," Yami argued, "the riddle explicitly stated it would reveal its knowledge to the _one_ the Eye was _presented _to." The dark haired man's eyes lit up at once at his error, but quickly he narrowed his gaze.

"And Sapphire would give the jewel to me so what's the-" Endymion began but was quickly interrupted.

"Presented to as a _lover_," The fanged man finished with a wide smirk. "Are you your cousin's lover, Endymion? Do you intend to be his betrothed?" The vampire taunted wickedly. Endymion's face went completely red as he gaped in disbelief toward the toothy King of Games.

"Enough, enough," Ra grumbled with a shake of his golden head, "But Yami is right, if we don't follow the map's instructions exactly we risk failing the task." Serenity's well-intentioned hopes abruptly crumbled. Her shoulders fell discouragingly upon acknowledging this task wouldn't be completed as easily as she had envisioned. Tossing her scrutiny to the black clad riddle master, she inwardly sighed when he brandished to her a victorious half-smile. Yami had proven himself in the right once again and the elegant Queen couldn't help but be thankful for his cleverness and damn it at the same time.

"Who the hell cares?" Seto growled aloud, tossing his short brown hair in annoyance. "If the map wants the person we'll just kidnap whoever he gives the damn thing to and we'll have the map reveal the directions to her." Every woman in the group turned to face him in horror with gaping mouths. "What?" he growled. "We can give her back after we have what we need!"

"Or..." Honda interjected, trailing thoughtfully while rubbing his chin. "Endymion, you said this party is held for the sole purpose of your cousin choosing his fiancé, right?" The still flushed and bewildered Endymion answered him with a quiet nod. Honda snickered and put his hand sheepishly behind his head. "Well you know, I couldn't help but notice that we have four lovely ladies and one female bloodsucker traveling with us. Perhaps if you could get us into this shindig he just might choose one of them." All women present nearly doubled over in shock, with the exception of Mai who stuck her nose into the air indignantly upon his reference.

"I'll have you know, mutt, that men across the world have fallen to their knees begging for me to marry them!" Mai suddenly snapped, pointing accusingly to the taller wolf as he put his hands up in a vain effort to block her shrill voice. The alluring blonde snorted and crossed her arms across her chest.

"As odd as this suggestion seems it's probably the best idea yet," Ra suddenly mused aloud, "Though it would be easier for us to apprehend the woman of his choosing," the dragon sent Serenity an apologetic glance, "this would perfectly fit the map's request. Could you gain them access to this event, Endymion?" The blue-eyed King looked toward the gigantic beast in a daze.

"Yes, easily of course," The now calmed Endymion answered, "I could even suggest a person to him. We were close when we were younger and even now as the King he'd at the very least consider my opinion seriously." Silence befell the group, except for Seto who was mumbling under his breath about how idiotic this mission was.

"So, who's it gonna be?" The spritely male fairy asked aloud. While Serenity was still absorbing what had been said, gathering the words to protest this idea a heavy hand fell on her shoulder. "What do ya say sis? Wanna get married to this guy?" Jou asked with a snigger. Her great blue eyes widened on her sibling in absolute horror. Yami visibly bristled upon the statement.

"Over my dead-" the vampire roared but was interrupted by a voice beside him.

"I'll do it," Mai spoke confidently with a lazy hand on her hip. "Humans can hardly resist vampires. It would work perfectly." She flipped her hair with a sultry smile.

"God knows why," Honda muttered under his breath. Tossing him her amused violet eyes she smirked.

"Tell that to the men I've married before, there's been at least fifty or so," the tall woman waved her hand dismissively. The darker skinned werewolf merely rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, and we all know how those wedding nights turned out," The brunette grumbled, "a bloody massacre." Mai could only grin.

"There, there. I'm not _that _cruel," she taunted, "we had lots of fun before I put them to bed permanently! What else would you expect? I'm way too young to be _married_." The attractive black widow laughed. Serenity sprung forward worriedly, upon catching a glimpse of Endymion who had gone completely pale.

"It is absolutely unacceptable to harm Endymion's cousin! He is completely innocent!" The virtuous Queen barked earning everyone's widened gaze at her outburst.

"Relax," Mai cooed in response, "I'm not going to hurt him. As soon as he gives me the jewel we'll consult the map and then we can all be on our merry way with Lord Sapphire completely unharmed."

"Not completely," Serenity argued, looking squarely toward the smiling vampire. "Toying with someone's emotions is just as bad as causing them injury; if not worse! Think about how terrible he'll feel after you've returned his devotion and then suddenly abandon him." A low snort briefly caught the fairy's attention. Upon shifting her glance to the source the already spoken words stung in her mouth.

"That's rather ironic, coming from you," Yami, the man _she _had abandoned a thousand years prior whispered lowly. But that was a different situation entirely. Ignoring his jab and almost hateful gaze she turned back to Mai.

"Oh he'll be fine," Mai reassured, "he's royalty. There are women throughout his kingdom throwing themselves at his feet to be married to him. Though I hardly think it'll be a challenge to win his affection, he'll be back to his old self the minute I'm gone. We can have Endymion give the diamond back to him, saying I just couldn't handle the pressure of being a Lord's wife or something," Mai shrugged, "or maybe if you ask _his majesty_ nicely," she continued, tossing the infuriated vampire a grinning glance, "he can erase all of his memories of me and it won't be a problem at all!" Yami turned away from the blonde with a grumble, refusing to dignify her even with a 'No way in hell.'

"So it's settled then!" Ra spoke politically, in an attempt to diffuse anymore arguing. "We'll spend another day's time here and then make our way to the black lands. A long journey, but with this group it shouldn't take more than an evening."

"What are we gonna do in this ghost town for another night?" Jou wondered aloud earning an eye roll from Rei standing at Serenity's other side.

"_We _aren't doing anything!" Seto rumbled an answer to the Fae's rhetoric question, "Because _you _are going back to Fairy Land where you belong!" The hazel eyed fairy tore from his sibling's side and stormed a few feet before the taller werewolf.

"That is it! I'm so sick of your insults. If you've gotta problem with me then spit it out!" Jou growled, fearlessly with clenched fists at his sides. The lean werewolf chuckled.

"It's a simple issue, really," the man grinned maliciously, "everyone here despite their considerable weaknesses has shown usefulness to this group, even the puny humans have skills, connections and the know-how to wield a damned sword."

"Gee, thanks," Endymion muttered and Hotaru blushed, trying her best to look away from the encounter. Jou stood glaring toward the taunting man who stepped up close and leaned into his face.

"I couldn't help but notice how you were nothing but a bother when we took Kalseru. You couldn't even keep your tiny queen out of the cave let alone offer Yami any assistance in fighting Bakura," The Werewolf King all but snarled. "You're exactly as I predicted a weakling and a coward!" Joe's eyes clouded over darkly as he grit his teeth.

"You're a fool!" The blonde roared, "I would do _anything_ to protect my sister and Rei!"

"Is that so?" Seto smirked, "Then why is it do I think that if Yami hadn't showed up when he did last night that Serenity would be vampire food? And as for Rei," he paused to toss the amethyst eyed woman a grin. "Well, she deserves someone a lot better than _you _to protect her." A small flash of light blazed in Jou's angry eyes at the mention of his love interest.

"Maybe it's about high time I showed you what I'm made of, then," Jou spoke darkly. Just as Seto's face lit up with a wicked smirk, Serenity had rushed behind her brother and put a hand at his elbow.

"Stop this! The both of you!" The petite woman demanded of the taller aggressors.

"Get back, Serenity," Jou ordered, not turning around or taking his eyes off of Seto. "I'm handling this."

"Jou!" The Fae's queen protested and bared her teeth angrily, "Stand down now! That's an-" before Serenity could get the word 'order' out her gaze was suddenly farther away from the two arguing men, obscured by trees and a warm hand was clasped gently against her mouth. Her entire body tensed in absolute fury toward the man she knew had restrained her interference without turning to face him, which would have been difficult since Yami's other hand was pressed into her abdomen and he held her firmly to the front of his warm torso.

'_Let go of me at once!' _Serenity bellowed in her thoughts, knowing full and well the obsessive vampire would be listening. She reached upward to try to pry his hand away from her mouth but the effort was in vain.

"No." He spoke simply, pulling her further into him, sighing when his fingertips grazed against a patch of heated and bare skin at her midriff. His hold may have been pleasant under any other circumstance but Serenity was currently furious. "Perhaps it's best we let Jou settle his differences with Seto himself," Yami commented as he followed her line of sight to the two men moments away from lunging at each other. "His big sister can't be at his side every moment to bail him out, after all." The vampire spoke wisely, pausing to inhale a deep scent of her hair.

_'He's never since coming here had a creature try to kill him! Seto has a thousand years more experience, he'll destroy him!' _Serenity thought worriedly.

"Ra will not allow that to happen and neither will I," Yami spoke reassuringly. Though the vampire's promise alleviated her worries slightly, her angry body refused to stand down as she shifted in attempt to escape the man's iron hold. "I'll let go of you if you promise to behave." The red-eyed man teased. Serenity's temper further exploded at the man's continuing disregard of her fury.

Behaved, huh? She'd show him behaved! And doing the first maneuver that came to mind, she bit down hard onto the fleshy portion of the hand that covered her mouth. Instead of the response she had hoped for, the fanged man burst out into laughter as if her little white teeth had done nothing but tickle him. Freeing the hold against her lips, the taller man moved to wrap his mighty arms around her, securing the petite woman against him.

"Did you just _bite _me?" He whispered lowly in her ear. The vampire's slow words and heated breath sent a tremor throughout her form. She stiffened when he leaned down and nestled his face against her neck. Serenity's skin vibrated against his warm lips as he hummed amusedly; planting a feathery kiss against the smooth skin before returning to her ear with a labored breath.

"Be careful little rabbit," Yami purred. "One of these days, I may just bite back," he finished taking a playful and harmless nip at the top of her ear. Releasing his hug he fell beside her, holding onto the fingers of her right hand with his.

"I thought you said you'd let me go," Serenity growled, glaring toward his hand.

"You weren't behaved," he replied looking ahead toward the brawling men; a grin spread across his features. As she turned her full attention toward her brother in worry, a fleeting thought reminded her of how satisfying his hand fell against hers. But, she would never admit such a thing aloud.

* * *

Jou grunted as he, once again, leapt toward Seto with flying fists and failed to land a solitary hit. Crashing to his knees, the blonde Prince sprang to his feet and turned around to stare into the laughing man. There werewolf was fast, _too _fast, so quick that Jou hadn't even come within an inch of striking him.

"This is absurd," Seto, who hadn't even bothered to transform, jeered staring toward his panting opponent. "I thought you'd be more of a challenge than this. Defeating you is going to be like taking a bone from a puppy!"

Standing just outside the battling men, Rei swung her head from side to side, panickedly looking for where her sovereign had vanished just moments before.

"Relax," the feminine voice startled the raven haired beauty. Turning her head to her left side she glared into the approaching Mai, who stopped within arm's length of her. "She's with my master." The vampiress explained.

"Who and where?" Rei demanded with a growl. Mai arched a brow.

"Yami? The Vampire King, however you know him by," she explained as she nodded her head to a close patch of trees. The fairy moved her purple irises and spotted the Queen standing next to Yami standing just behind a few tall trunks. Focusing her eyes in determination, Rei moved to march toward them when the blonde's restraining hand fell on her shoulder.

"She's fine, he would never harm her," Mai explained to the skeptical appearing fire wielder. "And even if he wanted to you couldn't do anything about it anyway." She grinned a smile filled with fangs. Ripping her shoulder away from her hand, the fairy glared furiously into the woman as her lowered right fist became engulfed with flames.

"I hear vampires are quite flammable," Rei commented threateningly, "And I'd take up any fight to defend my sovereign; perish if I must!" The woman roared in passion earning a few glances from Endymion and Hotaru who stood nearby.

"Relax," Mai reassured comfortingly once again, "Your queen isn't the one you should be worrying about, the Prince however..." she trailed as Rei moved her gaze once again to the warring men where Jou crumpled to the ground after being hit with what appeared to be a lazy punch from Seto. The fire at her hand disappeared as a deep frown became seated within her face.

"This is embarrassing," Rei muttered as Jou, who had taken quite a beating with little effort from the aggressor, slowly got to his feet.

"It appears you're rooting for the horrid werewolf then," Mai commented off-handedly. Rei huffed and crossed her arms.

"I'm not _rooting _for anyone. This senseless violence is ridiculous," the fairy grumbled.

"I'm not so sure about that," Mai responded slyly, "you don't seem to care for your fairy friend much, although he simply adores you." She finished with a mild hint of resentment in her tone.

"I am as loyal to the Fae's prince as I am to the Queen." Rei affirmed, tossing the vampire an irritated look.

"I really don't see how you can resist such a handsome and bold man," Mai commented, twirling her hair as she kept her amethyst eyes firmly affixed on the fairy that stood up each time he fell; his will affected by neither Seto's taunts nor punches. Taking a deep inhale from the air, she caught the scent of the blood from his small wounds. "Who smells as equally delicious." Rei turned her matching purple eyes to the other woman in absolute disgust.

"The nature of and who I choose for my attentions is none of your concern," The brunette sneered. "As the alpha male werewolf of his pack and race, Seto cannot resist but to assert his dominance and if Jou wishes to participate in that man's primitive nonsense it's his own choice!" Rei assessed the situation coldly. The taller vampire at her side released a small laugh in response.

"You know, for as smart as you think you are, you've completely missed the big picture." Mai commented. Rei turned her body toward the other furiously.

"I am correct in my observations." The fiery woman argued.

"Not quite," the attractive blonde grinned upon the other woman, "those two men don't fight for dominance. They're fighting over _you_." She finished in a laughing whisper. The color fled from Rei's face as she whipped her long hair back to the men and gaped in disbelief.

"Ready to give up yet? Fairy boy?" Seto ridiculed as Jou very sluggishly came to the ground from his feet. Although exhausted, the blonde's wounds were quite minor ranging from a few cuts to purple bruises.

"I'm just getting warmed up!" Jou roared back and fell into a fighting stance. An annoyed snarl ripped from Seto's throat.

"I tire of this pitiful fighting, weakling," Seto grumbled, "if this had been a real battle you would be dead by now!" Jou smirked.

"And yet, here I am still standing!" He announced boldly, "So maybe you should stop yapping and fight me like the man you claim you are!" Not seconds after the challenging words had exited his lips, Jou was knocked down to the ground in a flash with Seto's heavy form falling on top of him.

"As I was saying," Seto snarled as Jou fought frantically to push the man off of him. The fairy's brown eyes widened as the man above's orbs changed color from cobalt to a light amber. His mouth filled with sharp and wicked canines as he grinned down to his pinned opponent. "If this had been a real battle I would have torn out your throat long before this."

"Seto! That is enough!" Ra bellowed, but his protest was ignored.

"You're nothing but a pathetic pup playing games with big scary wolves," Seto growled, "so run on home and don't worry," the now fully transformed werewolf pulled his fanged mouth into a victorious grin and leaned down to whisper into the fairy's ear. "I'll take care of your pretty little fireball." The bright and racing flash of anger returned to Jou's eyes as he contorted his mouth into a smirk; a tiny drop of blood escaping his lips.

"I hadn't realized we were going all out with this, powers and all," Jou commented snidely as the man balked before him. "I thought this was a good old fashioned fist fight." Seto grit his teeth down at the man's defiance.

"_What_?" he roared.

"But if you insist..." And suddenly with a thunderous sound, the two men were engulfed with zapping flashes of crackling light. Seto's body froze as the jolts of electricity flying through him sent him falling from where he hovered over Jou and onto his back. The mighty blonde jumped to his feet, still surrounded by searing white energy. Reaching down and grasping to the front of Seto's shirt, he lifted him off his feet and glared up to the werewolf who grit his teeth in attempt to hold back yelps of pain. The Fae's prince resembled a goofy boy no longer, but instead a God who commanded a power that no other but the heavens wielded.

"He holds the gift!" Ra rumbled aloud, staring in astonishment toward the fairy. "The storm within a man..." the great beast trailed in amazement.

The flashing bolts of lightning surrounding Jou reflected in Mai's wide amethyst eyes as she stared at him in utter amazement. Her knees buckled wobbly as her fang-filled mouth fell agape.

"W-wow," she spoke wondrously, "you are a stupid, stupid girl." Mai finished earning an eye-roll from the dark haired woman standing next to her. Everyone stood with slacked jaws upon this discovery, with exceptions of the two women who knew Jou well.

Still standing further away from the action, Yami turned to Serenity with widened blood-red irises.

"Jou possesses the power of the past Fae King?" He demanded of her in surprise. Serenity displayed to him a small knowing smile and turned her gaze back to her sibling, to whom she was beaming with pride.

"Yes, though its limits had been untested. Until now."

"So it appears you've inherited the abilities of your legendary father, touché," Seto spoke painfully. Jou let go of the man's shirt and let him fall to the ground unceremoniously, as he was still recovering from being stunned with his electrical powers. "You merely caught me off guard; I doubt you're as powerful as the King was told of being." Jou crossed his arms.

"That remains to be seen, but if you stick around maybe you'll find out." The Prince countered as Seto angrily came to standing.

"If you held such a power why didn't you use it in the cave? You could have killed hundreds in instants if you had struck hard enough!" The Werewolf King barked. Stunned by this, Jou paled and took a step back.

"Look, just, get out of my face you creep!" He growled and briskly took off walking into the thick tree cover. Serenity watched him storm off in worry, and stepped to follow him when Yami's hand still clasped to hers halted her steps.

"He just proved himself to almost every worthwhile warrior on this planet. If you go running after him to baby him now, you'll ruin it." Yami answered her indignant stare. Serenity's shoulders fell.

"But he's upset!" She protested.

"I'll go talk to him," The vampire suggested. The Queen lifted a skeptical brow.

"No offense but you're not exactly the comforting type, and besides, you hate talking to people." Serenity said as she couldn't help but crack a smile on the idea.

"I can talk to people," he replied, "_for you_." Serenity nodded and walked out alongside him, free from hand-hold out into the clearing with the others. Seto had long run off to lick his wounds and regain his pride, but all the others remained still visibly bewildered. "Why don't you and your other fairy friend-"

"Rei," The dark haired fairy corrected the vampire in annoyance.

"Rei," Yami repeated the name, "go into town and eat dinner. I had something planned for this evening that would require a considerable amount of energy from you." He alluded suggestively with a wicked grin.

"They're probably still serving dinner at the inn," Serenity replied, a blush full on her face. Yami laughed.

"But nothing you would like, much too healthy and sugar free," The vampire cracked a smile.

"You checked on what they were serving?" The sweets-loving fairy inquired; blinking her eyes in thought.

"I may have," he winked and placed a small velvet satchel filled with coins into her hand. "In fact…" he trailed turning to look behind him. "Lady Mutt, how would you like to escort Serenity and her companion into town?" Anzu's blue eyes clouded over darkly as she snarled toward the condescending vampire.

"My name is Anzu, and I'd hardly do any favors for a bloodsucker like you!" The tall woman barked.

"I'd of course offer you substantial monetary compensation for your efforts," he added with an inquiring brow. Honda immediately stepped in front of his werewolf companion with dollar signs practically shining in his eyes.

"Money! I'll do it! I'll be their guard dog!" The pointy haired werewolf grinned. With a sigh and shake of his head, Yami flipped three coins in his direction, to which the man promptly caught. "Three gold doubloons, alright!" Honda exclaimed practically dancing in happiness.

"Have fun doing the vamp's bidding," Anzu growled and stalked away into the night.

* * *

Digging his fingers into his shaggy locks of blonde hair, Jou kicked a stone sitting before him angrily where the tall man was seated on the forest's dirt floor. The faintest sound behind him caused the fairy's ears to perk up and whip his body around, letting his hands fall to his knees.

"What do-" The Prince began to demand grumpily but stopped dead in his words. His hazel eyes widened as he had clearly expected to see his sibling and not the person who instead stood several yards before him. Slowly coming to a stand, Jou puffed out his chest in an effort to appear undaunted in the company of a creature he had been always taught to fear. "Wh-what's up?" he asked with a short stutter. Yami surveyed the other man with a hardened stare.

"I don't think I've ever seen the victor of a contest run away so quickly with his tail between his legs as you just did." The notorious King of Games stated coldly toward the taller man. Jou shifted his feet uncomfortably.

"That guy is a jackass, I was done dealing with him," The fairy muttered, wiping away a smudge of dirt from the side of his mouth and casting his gaze away from the vampire. A small smirk played on the other's face in response.

"While I find Seto to be a vile creature who's high opinion of himself may very well lead to his demise, he did have a valid point." Yami spoke gaining, once again, the attention of the Fae's prince. "You claim you're here to protect Serenity but over these past nights when it's been necessary you've been completely unsuitable for the task." The Vampire King narrowed his gaze upon him; all traces of mirth at Seto's expense evaporating upon the last statement. Jou winced as if the words stung.

"I know," The blonde admitted with a defeated sigh, "It's a lot harder than I thought it'd be- but I ain't scared or nothin'!" Jou pound a fist into his open palm with determination shining in his dark hued eyes, "I've pummeled plenty of wise guys who pissed me off." A momentary amused smile appeared on Yami's face but quickly left as he regarded the man seriously.

"What about it is so challenging? You just showed all of us that you command the same abilities as your father, a man so powerful that he earned the respect of any sane creature, even me." Jou's eyes widened on the vampire's admittance.

"Did you ever meet him?" Jou asked, his face lighting up in curiosity, "Bunny did mention you've been around awhile." The man added somewhat sheepishly. Yami smirked and let his eyes close briefly in memory.

"No," he replied finally, "But, I imagine an encounter with a legend such as he would've proven most _interesting_," his red eyes looked up curiously as if he had envisioned challenging the late Fae King before.

"But, now he's dead. Thanks to that good for nothing Zorc," Jou grit his teeth and stared down to the forest's floor. Looking to his fingertips he brought forth a flickering few charges of white hot energy. "I may have inherited his power, but I didn't get his guts," The Prince spoke as he returned the other's attention. "How do you do it?"

"How do I do what?" Yami asked with an inquisitive brow. Jou sucked in a deep breath.

"How do you attack another, with the intent to kill?" Yami's eyes widened on the fairy's question, and softened in realization. "It goes against everything I've ever been told, everything I've ever believed in. How do I know I even _can_?" Jou finished with his hands held out before him.

"Any creature has the power to claim another's life for their own; you included," The vampire explained darkly, "Though it admittedly takes more than this to actually go through with it. A warrior never fights without a purpose. Whether it be to serve his sovereign or defend that which he loves. The key element to his success is to believe in his purpose so fiercely that no other moral or other obligation will ever stand in the way of his goal." Jou's eyes gleamed in admiration of the other man who's profound words only confirmed the regal titles attached to him. The younger man appeared to contemplate the vampire's explanation, and after several moments finally smiled with a resolute stance.

"I love both the Queen and Rei," he spoke proudly, "and I'll do whatever it takes to keep them safe while we take this Zorc guy down. _That _is my purpose." Jou announced decisively. Yami couldn't resist a triumphant smirk.

"Good," was all he replied as he turned to leave.

"Hey-uh, Yami?" Jou spoke again. The ill-famed man acknowledged him with ethereal red eyes as he moved to look back over his shoulder. Jou displayed a mischievous crooked smile that could rival the vampire's. "They say you've killed lots of people. What's your purpose? Why do you do it?" Yami chuckled, brandishing the fairy a sharp grin as he went to fully face him.

"Oh, most men aren't like me," his baritone voice rang cryptically, "I will formally admit to you that all my cares and affections lie with your sister, and I would hack down _any _other without a moment's consideration if they threatened her," Yami spoke blackly as Jou gulped, "But you already knew that, didn't you?" He grinned wickedly.

"Heh, heh," Jou laughed nervously, "I guess you read that from my mind." The vampire shrugged and let his head fall to one side amusedly as he stared down the other.

"But to be perfectly frank with you, I really don't need a purpose to strike and claim the blood and lives of my enemies," the vampire notorious for his ruthlessness became seemingly swallowed within a looming and dark aura as he spoke. "Because I rather enjoy everything about it." Jou went pale and stood silently in his speechlessness as the musing elder man finally vanished within the shadows.

* * *

Serenity grinned at the variety and mounds of sugary temptations that sat upon the table before her. She had purchased two or three of every danish, pastry, slice of cake or pie within the town's small radius with the intentions of gobbling them all down and saving a few for her brother, Hotaru, and Endymion who had elected to go back to the inn instead. Rei shifted her eyes wearily around the small eatery where a much healthier portion of food, mainly fruits and vegetables, sat before her.

"Oh relax, Rei!" The Queen spoke almost giddily, "our fearsome body guard is watching over us." The other woman sent her violet eyes to the room's door, where Honda leaned against the wall with his bulky arms crossed against his muscled chest. He did his best to appear ferocious, glaring daggers at anyone who entered or left the tavern.

"How ridiculous," The fire manipulator grumbled as she took a large bite out of a crunchy carrot. "He didn't need to come; if anyone would have messed with us I would have burnt them to a crisp." Serenity blinked and sent her attention to where the werewolf stood alone. Immediately feeling concerned about him, she wondered if he was as hungry as she was.

"Hey, Honda!" The petite fairy called waving her hand toward him. Nodding, the tall man stealthily approached their table.

"Everything alright here?" he asked seriously, glancing around for any trouble makers.

"Yes, everything is fine. We were just curious if you were hungry and would like to join us?" Rei almost choked on her food at Serenity's invitation. Honda crinkled his nose as he sniffed toward the wooden table's surface.

"Got any meat?" He asked. Serenity smiled nervously.

"No, but," selecting a plate of flaky apple pie she held it up to him. "Try this. I promise you, it's delicious." Looking at the plate skeptically, the man met the woman's promising gaze right before he, ignorant of any manners, grabbed the slice with his hands and stuffed it into his mouth. Making a face as he chewed, his dark eyes suddenly filled with delight. Turning to grab a chair, he brought it to the table and plopped down beside the Moon's Queen.

"What else ya got that's that good?" Honda asked excitedly.

"It's all delicious, eat as much as you'd like, I can always order more!" The blonde exclaimed and feeling silly with her sugary delights, she stuck out her tongue. Without a moment's hesitation, the fairy and werewolf began digging into the food set out before them at a rapid pace. Lifting her upper lip in displeasure, Rei seemingly lost her appetite as she glared daggers at the two chow hounds.

"Queen Serenity?" Rei interrupted after a few minutes; failing to conceal the annoyed tone in her voice.

"Hm?" The blue-eyed beauty asked with a spoonful chocolate mousse in her mouth.

"There was something, the one who called himself Bakura, said while we were within the mountain that I wanted to ask you about." The raven woman spoke earnestly. Serenity's full stomach tumbled in dread as the psychotic white-haired vampire was the last thing she wanted to think about when she finally had a moment of reprieve. "He accused Seto of killing his own family. Is this true?" Honda, too, paused in his rampant eating and looked toward Rei. "I mean no offense. I only wish to learn as much as I can about this entire situation, just in case." She explained moving her glance to the werewolf.

"To be honest, I really don't know much about his past myself," Honda shrugged as his face appeared to be more curious than offended. "Just that he's both immortal and ageless somehow and has been the pack master to any wolves spanning all known territories for over a thousand years. Although he ordered both Anzu and I to accompany him it was only because I've proven myself to be the strongest of our kind and Anzu the fastest. Well, other than Seto himself of course." The pointy haired werewolf explained candidly. Upon finishing both he and Rei moved their eyes to Serenity, who shifted in her seat uncomfortably.

"You knew him a thousand years ago, didn't you?" The brown eyed man asked. "Do you know how he became immortal?" Although the noble Royal considered fibbing to get herself out of this sticky question, she quickly found she hadn't the will to lie.

"Yes," Serenity answered carefully, "but it wouldn't be prudent to gossip about such things."

"It's not gossip! The minute Bakura alluded to what happened Seto burst into a rage! If it's something that can be held over his head we should be prepared to help him deal with it. For all of our interests." Rei answered quickly, Honda vigorously nodded his head in response.

"Don't worry, my lips are sealed. I won't tell another soul what you tell us!" The werewolf urged. Tapping her nails on the surface of the table, Serenity released a defeated sigh. The two listeners leaned in toward her as the elegant woman reluctantly pursed her lips.

"The Seto we know today was a lot different when I first met him. He was quite old for a werewolf, almost eighty I believe Shimon once mentioned to me, but even in his great age he was still a skilled fighter as well as the leader and strongest member of his race. He was always very quiet, only rarely getting riled up when the vampires in our small group provoked him." At the mention of antagonizing vampires, Honda rolled his eyes.

"Damned bloodsuckers," he muttered.

"I never got a chance to speak to him much. He became very close to Ra's son, Blue eyes, who had also accompanied us back then. A few times I heard them conversing about the only family member Seto ever spoke of; his much younger brother Mokuba. He would go on and on about how incredible he was, and how he would be the wolves' greatest leader after his demise."

"In order for someone else to become the pack leader they must defeat the current ruling member in a fight to the death or be selected to take his place prior to his passing," Honda interrupted importantly. "Many have tried to defeat Seto, but all have failed. So if Seto's brother was to become the next master…" The were trailed.

"He would have to kill his older brother," Rei finished as she appeared to finally understand. Serenity took in a deep breath.

"Which is why I don't think Seto planned on surviving our journey to defeat Zorc," the Queen began explaining once more. "We were fulfilling a task the map had instructed of us; a very dangerous one where we were instructed to retrieve a special elixir from a mountain guarded by monstrous demons. It was called 'The Life Elixir' and any being that drank from it would be awarded eternal youth and life." Serenity's eyes became glossy as she recalled the dreaded screams and howls of the demons they fought against so perfectly she thought she could hear them ringing in her ears. "No one escaped that day without scars…"

* * *

"_Minako!" Serenity howled as she threw herself over the unconscious woman's body. Frantically checking where the deadly wound had once before been inflicted in her cousin's side, she heaved a sigh of relief. "Thank the Heavens!" She cried aloud as she listened to the beauty's calm and slow breaths._

"_Is she alright?" Cracked a voice behind her. Whipping her head around, she slung a teary smile to Bakura, whose brown eyes were flooded with terror._

"_Yes!" Serenity exclaimed while wiping the tears away from her dirt smudged face. "I had just enough energy to heal her!" The typically snide white haired man crashed to his knees and expelled the breath from his lungs._

"_Thank the almighty Gods!" He announced to the sky before turning his gaze back to the two fairies. "Serenity, I'm so happy I could kiss you!" Serenity's eyes widened at the smirking man. "But Yami would probably kill me." The tender moment was suddenly interrupted by a labored moan sounding just beyond them. Shifting her attention, the Fae's queen gasped where she beheld Seto lying on his back in a pool of his own blood. Jumping to her feet she bolted to him, ignoring her exhausted body that was completely drained of energy. Crumbling to her knees, she willed her body to move by crawling over the jagged rocks until she reached him. Brandishing bruises and severely torn pants she held her breath in attempt to ignore the werewolf's blood that now soaked into her clothing. Outstretching her fingers, she touched them to the unmoving man's hand._

"_Save your energy, Serenity," she heard Seto speak painfully. Lifting her head enough so that she caught his gaze, she was amazed at how calm his blue eyes appeared, surrounded by falling locks of gray-white hair stained red at their ends. "To fall in battle is a fine death for a warrior like me."_

"_Seto!" The fairy protested, but before she could even attempt to muster the last of her energy to heal him, she was lifted roughly from the ground. Set onto her feet and falling into a solid body, she weakly lifted her head to gaze into a pair of agitated crimson eyes. "Yami!" Serenity breathed as she clutched onto the front of his shirt, "I don't have the energy left to heal him, you have to-"_

"_Now I know you'd never suggest I spare even a drop of blood for __**that thing**__," The vampire said in a snarl. Mouth falling agape, Serenity was abruptly spun into the arms of another. Bakura chuckled as his arm fell lazily around the fairy's waist in order to support her wobbly legs. Serenity watched in horror as Yami moved to loom over the injured werewolf._

"_Make him stop!" The weakened woman pled as she turned her great blue eyes to the one who held her. Bakura chuckled lowly._

"_Not a chance little Queen. Why don't you just sit back and enjoy the show." The man suggested wickedly._

_With his lips curled into a snarl, Yami's eyes burned into the man who lie bleeding on the rocky ground. Seto laboriously lifted his neck so that he could meet the other with his defiant cobalt gaze._

"_It appears the mutt is going to perish wallowing in his own putrid blood," a malicious smile pulled onto the vampire's face. "What a pity."_

"_Better to die a warrior, than live on forever as blood sucking corpse!" The werewolf barked. A growl tore from Yami's throat as he lifted the helpless man from the ground and thrust him into the mountain's rock face. Seto howled upon the excruciating pain thrust against his throbbing injuries. Serenity attempted to run away to him, but couldn't move against Bakura's unyielding grip._

"_I'm the corpse?" The vampire bellowed dangerously, "you will be the one whose body is left to rot upon this mountain!"_

"_Taunt me all you want," Seto spoke in barely a whisper as he somehow mustered forth a smirk despite all of his pain. "Deal me my last blow if you feel the need. But know this," the man growled darkly, "you didn't kill me. That merit belongs to the demon that struck me down and hindered my ability to fight back!" Yami's red-eyes widened upon the man._

"_Oh ho-ho-ho," Bakura laughed sarcastically, earning the other vampire's attention. "That dog! He's got you there oh King of Games," The white haired man grinned. Yami's eyes lit up in challenge as a scheming smirk played across his features. With his free hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small vile and held it before Seto's face._

"_Interesting, you see, it just so happens I have this special elixir that will heal all your injuries and give you eternal life, just like a vampire! Wouldn't that be wonderful?" Yami revealed a fanged grin as the wolf's eyes flew open in horror._

"_Get that away from me! Finish me off or let me die you ugly cretin!" Seto roared, wincing in pain as he did so._

"_What's wrong? You don't want to walk the Earth as an immortal monster like me?" The vampire feigned a pout._

"_I will never be like you!" The helpless werewolf screamed as he struggled in vain to move his head away from the vile. Ruthlessly grabbing the taller man's head, Yami flipped open the item's lid and stared into Seto's horrified gaze._

"_Don't think I'm doing this as a favor," The restraining man whispered gruffly, "because now I'll be able to torment you for all eternity. And believe me wolf; death will always and forever be preferable to that." And with those words Yami forced the elixir down Seto's throat._

* * *

"So, after Seto drank the elixir he was as strong as he was in his youth," Honda ascertained in amazement from Serenity's story.

"And he defeated and killed his brother when Mokuba challenged him for his position." Rei finished as she looked down to her hands.

"Sparing him would have been dishonorable," The werewolf pointed out, "wow, you would think eternal life would be great but this is really messed up." Honda's shoulders slumped.

"I assumed that's what happened," Serenity commented softly, "I had returned to the Moon before Seto left for his home. Although this all sounds terrible, Seto was instrumental in defeating Zorc. We may have failed if he had perished then." Rei nodded and stood from her seat. Looking to the woman's violet eyes, the Queen noticed they were swollen with newfound respect for the elusive werewolf.

"We should get back. The others will be waiting." Rei suggested softly.

* * *

First and foremost, THANK you to: **SailorVmoon1311815, Saris Yui, Yami Nocturna, RoseMouto2010, Krissy, Sesshy's Mistress, Cosmic-lover, Serena-hime, Anexya, Artemis Day, **and **Anonymous **for reading and reviewing the last chapter!**  
**

Before you yell at me, I apologize for not getting to everything I promised in the preview of the last chapter (Ah! *dodges rotten fruit*) This got to 20 pages and came to a good stopping point; I'm trying to not overwhelm you with huge chapters (I know everyone doesn't have tons of time to read my nonsense!) So next time (I swear, for real, seriously!):

Preview: Serenity will be coerced into joining Yami on a journey to visit a friend of his and we will *finally* see what Bakura's been up to.

I actually really like how this chapter came out (and hopefully you did too!)…it was a little weak on the Yami/Serenity action but at the same time, an important view on how some of these characters feel about each other/interact. And aren't you just super proud of Jou? If you can't tell, he's one of my favorite Yu-gi-oh characters!

Also (bonus) there will be a particular *steamy* moment between two of the characters in the next chap! (mwahahaha)

Thank you SO MUCH for all your comments. Please read and review! I'd love to know what you think! I honestly don't think I'd have it in me to work so hard to get these chapters out in a timely matter if it wasn't for all of you!


	10. Battle not with Monsters

The Ostiary

Kochou-hime

**All characters belong to their respective owners.**

Battle not with Monsters...

The crackling and swaying sound of roaring flames echoed within the cavern they were contained. Clinking metal and a man's heavy breathing were all that could be heard over the quiet fire filled baskets that dimly lit the windowless room. A man with short silver hair knelt upon the stone ground, fiddling with small oddly shaped items that reflected gold in the flickers of fire light. Beads of sweat flew down his temple as he pushed his sliding, wide-rimmed glasses back onto the bridge of his nose. Holding two of the peculiarly engraved pieces close to his face, he groaned when upon putting them together the metallic items failed to interlock. Letting the two puzzle-like pieces fall to the floor with a clang; the bruised man donning torn clothing collapsed forward onto the ground. An annoyed sigh sounded from the back of the room.

Lounging in a massive golden chair was a man dressed in royal garb. His body wrapped in red and black robes, he wore jeweled rings on every finger and layers of solid gold chains and necklaces around his neck. His long spiky locks of hair flowed over the seat's armrest starkly contrasting in color to his dark skin; it was as white as the snow that could be seen in the distant mountains. Narrowing his cold brown eyes on the collapsed man he snatched a golden coin out of a pile beside him and chucked it toward the other.

"Get back to work! If you don't finish that puzzle before the sun rises, I'll be forced to start removing body parts," Bakura grinned wickedly as he loudly cracked his knuckles.

"And how am I supposed to know when the sun rises?" The man suddenly cried, "It feels like I've been in this hole in the ground for days!" Without apparent movement or sound the Egyptian vampire materialized standing just in front of the exhausted man. Narrowing his murky eyes to where the puzzle pieces were scattered at his feet, he snarled.

"No, no!" Bakura roared down to the other. "The object isn't supposed to be flat! It fits together into the form of a hollow triangle. Just like the great pyramids I showed you outside, don't you remember?" The shaking man choked back a sob.

"You stole me from my family and home and haven't given me any food, or water!" The man cried, "How am I supposed to pay attention to anything!" Bakura crossed his arms and rolled his eyes.

"Souichi Tomoe is the most intelligent man in the village, maybe the world, they said!" The vampire mocked as he knocked his prisoner from his hands and knees to the floor with a swift kick. "What a joke!"

"Please! Just let me go!" Souichi pled with a pained groan.

"The _Pharaoh _would have had the puzzle solved in minutes," Bakura voiced tauntingly, a smirk playing across his features. But immediately after the words were spoken, the vampire's face contorted into an expression of rage. "Shut up!" Bakura answered himself and glared daggers toward the fallen man. "You are wasting my time! Perhaps if I collected one of your beautiful little daughters and tortured her until you finished you could get some work done then?" Souichi let out a tormented cry.

"No! I beg of you! This puzzle is impossible to complete! I've tried to apply every mathematical formula I know. It just doesn't make any sense at all!" The human explained. Bakura sighed.

"Unfortunately, I believe you," he grumbled, "but luckily!" The white haired man appeared to perk up. "The one good thing about humans is that they're never _completely _worthless." Souichi's confused face quickly filled with fright when the vampire lunged with an impending hiss. The sounds of blood-curdling shrieks filled the cavernous space as Bakura mercilessly tore into his victim. After no more than a few painful minutes the cries lessened and faded into nothing. Sitting back onto his hands, the attacker gazed upon the now deceased human woefully.

"Dead already? How disappointing," Bakura sighed as he leaned forward and tossed the mangled body with limbs barely still attached to the far side of the room with ease. "I guess I'm losing my touch." Wiping the evidence of massacre away from his mouth, the vampire seemed not to care that his clothes were covered in blood as he glared toward the pieces of the Millennium Puzzle that still glinted in the fire light where they lie in puddles of crimson. Arching his upper lip into a snarl he picked up each piece and cleaned it carefully against his silken robes before dropping them one by one into their small gold container.

"So this is how you plan to solve the puzzle?" He spoke scathingly aloud to no one in particular. "Wallow within the tomb the Pharaoh's loyal followers made for their beloved king even though they had no body to bury? I wonder how they would have entombed your corpse, Thief. Perhaps thrown it in a hole in the ground? No, no, tossing it in a ditch would have been more likely." Bakura grit his sharp teeth and slammed the lid onto the box once the last item had been deposited.

"I no longer need the puzzle," the once dead vampire replied to himself quietly, "Serenity is the guardian to the prison and conveniently on the Earth," casting his eyes to the side of the room he stared toward where a long golden scepter fashioned with a round top adorned by bat-wing projections leaned against the wall. "As soon as I can get my hands on her I'll use the Millennium Rod to force her to tear down the walls." Bakura's eyes dilated in rage as he banged his fist against the floor.

"You imbecilic fool!" He roared, "Serenity cannot be manipulated with the Items!" The vampire cried out and laid his hands into the floor viciously once more. "She is completely untainted by darkness. There's not even the slightest trace. That _woman_ is my prison's perfect warden…"

"I have other ways of getting her to do what I want," Bakura alluded darkly as his eyes clouded over with torturous intentions.

"Don't confuse her peacefulness for weakness!" The man's voice dropped as he carried the conversation on with himself. "She will die a thousand deaths before bending to your will. Even if you could somehow convince her, you would never even get close to her. The _Pharaoh _will make sure of that, and you cannot beat him!" The wild-haired man laughed.

"It isn't fair!" Bakura roared as he snapped to his feet, turning to glare at the throne surrounded lovingly by gold and treasures. "We are both of the same age, and were similar in strength as men. Though I too harbor the ability to travel the shadows, _he _was given so much _more_!" Snatching up a jewel encrusted goblet he turned and chucked into the cavern's wall. "He can see and manipulate the thoughts and sensations of any other he chooses." Bakura snarled. "And then there's the most elusive power of them all: the absolute and instant mastery of any skill; giving him the advantage of any and every contest!" The vampire moved sluggishly and collapsed into the golden throne, letting his hand fall over his eyes in angst.

"Silly Thief," he spoke aloud once more, a smirk now crossing his face. "Black magic is a tricky business. Your pathetic little existence was wrapped up in this incident on accident, my little host." Grinning fully now, Bakura dropped his hand and opened his eyes. "To contain me the Pharaoh let his mighty and heralded God Ka be separated from his body and you from yours inadvertently, making you both the lovely monsters you are today." The vampire explained blackly, "But dark spells like the one he used requires more so a trade than a sacrifice, and you only had one soul to offer, peasant. The God King had _three_." Silence filled the tomb for several minutes as the vampire sat alone, smiling evilly while seated upon what was once Pharaoh Atem's throne.

"I grow stronger every day, soon no prison and no one, not even the Fae Queen, will be able to contain me much longer. It grows ever easier to gain complete control of your body and your simpleton will, slave. Once we can utilize the Puzzle's powers, the Pharaoh will fall to you and when Kul Elna's revenge on Egypt's last surviving sovereign is exacted for his predecessor's crimes I can finally bring the pain and hatred those ninety-nine souls endured onto the world! Without that man in the way, I will never again be defeated!" Turning his head he narrowed his eyes toward the unassuming box that sat within the middle of the tomb's floor.

"The power of the Millennium Puzzle is all we need…"

* * *

After delivering the remainder of sweet confections she had saved for her brother and human companions, Serenity made way back to her room cautiously. She had expected to not even make it inside the inn before being accosted by the no-nonsense Vampire King; he had announced that he had further _plans _for her tonight and he always made good on his word. But perhaps she had gotten off easily in having to deal with him and Yami had simply been distracted by something else. Bringing out a slender key, which was worthless she thought: beings that were after her wouldn't need keys let alone doors to get to her, she turned it into the handle and stepped within her room. Something about the space's aura immediately felt off to her, and the foreign black jacket slung over the desk's chair caught her attention first.

Quickly darting her cerulean colored eyes about the room, they stopped upon where the Moon's pale light spilled over a dark form lounging along her temporary bed. Grabbing unconsciously onto one of her golden tendrils of hair, the door drifted securely shut behind her as she regarded the silent man with a widened stare. In reality she shouldn't have been so surprised to find him here, what was the point in stalking down his prey when he knew good and well it would eventually come to him? The sight before Serenity quickened her pulse as the vampire occupied the bed like he owned it. Yami stretched along the surface lazily; his tan and trim arms meeting behind his head with closed eyes. He made no effort to acknowledge her entrance, other than a bemused smirk that drifted across his mouth. The moonlight only accentuated his already established perfect form, where it highlighted the deep muscled lines against the black sleeveless garment he wore over his torso. The shimmery glow gleamed against the clasp fitted to his studded belt, also bringing attention to the leather strap buckled around neck and right bicep.

Seeing that the enticing man had selected a rather racy spot in her room to wait for her brought forth a slew of memories primarily concentrated on his considerable prowess in areas other than killing things, to which he was utterly phenomenal. Quickly, she banished the unwelcome thoughts as it seemed entirely inappropriate to be remembering such things about the monster in her bed. Letting the breath leave her lungs slowly, she narrowed her crystalline irises upon him.

"Can I help you?" She asked in a leveled tone, standing straight as if it would help her resist any advances he may be planning. He could, after all, be _very_ convincing. His shocking red eyes snapped open and glowed promisingly upon her at the sound of her voice. Serenity tinged pink. Her selected words had been poor in choice. Sitting up fluidly from where he lay, he swung his black clad legs over the bed and gripped onto the covered edge as he leaned toward her.

"You were gone longer than I had anticipated," his baritone voice rolled as his eyes quickly assessed her standing figure before focusing once more on her gaze.

"I didn't realize I had a curfew," she responded snidely. "I apologize if I worried you. I was only hungry," the fairy finished with a hint of annoyance riding with her tone. There was no need to elaborate on the revealing conversation she had had with the others as it was unlikely he cared about what she informed them. With a quiet chuckle the vampire stood to full height and sauntered to her casually. She felt trapped in place under his ruby-eyed gaze whose irises contained an otherworldly glint that exuded a life of their own in the barely lit room.

"You're satisfied now, then?" he questioned quietly, coming to a halt at an almost too-friendly distance before her. The room suddenly felt freezing. Yami's dark aura assaulted her in his closeness, like black and icy flames licking at the surface of her skin and probing the barriers of her guarded mind. His shadowy powers were overwhelming and might have tempted an unknowing victim into the inviting man's warm arms, but Serenity was well seasoned in dealing with _this_ vampire.

"Yes," She responded simply, making no effort to recognize his innuendo. She heard a ghostly breath escape him as he revealed his exaggerated incisors in a sultry smile.

"Good, I had hoped to borrow your company this evening, now that you're feeling energized…" he continued smiling as he tilted his head slightly to one side. Stretching her jacketed arms up behind her, she expelled a fake yawn.

"Now that you mention it, I actually am pretty tired and should probably sleep." Serenity tapped her lips with her fingers as the other's face continually lit up in amusement.

"It'll be a short trip. I need to briefly speak with a friend of mine and it would put my mind at ease if you accompanied me." He spoke sounding impossibly pleasant even though it was obvious she was trying to buffet him away.

"I'll be safe here, the others-"

"You'll be safest with me," he quickly interjected. Serenity couldn't help but narrow her eyes at the persistent man.

"I'm not going anywhere with you." She spoke harshly, "I'm staying here until we journey to Atra." A low sound escaped his throat as his mouth fell into a suggestive half-smile.

"Perhaps you're right," Yami whispered gruffly as Serenity blinked in surprise, "we shouldn't risk anymore trouble. In fact, I think it would be best if you and I didn't leave this room for the next couple of days." The suggestion sent her blood flying hot through her veins as she knew without asking that she'd be pinned to the bed behind them in seconds if she even thought the word 'ok.'

"If I go with you, will you leave me alone for the rest of the night?" Serenity asked absolutely flustered.

"Mmhmm," he hummed, clearly pleased he had elicited a desired effect from her.

"How about for every night until I return to the Moon?"

"You're pushing your luck, your majesty," Yami replied with the pleasantness drifting from his voice at the question.

"Until we go to the Black Lands then." Serenity bargained with a coolly raised brow.

"If that's what you wish," he replied. The Fae Queen stood calmly before him. Fully expecting to be carried off through the window or pulled into the creepy shadows she was quite surprised when he interlocked his arm with hers and motioned to the door.

"We're leaving through the front of the building?" Serenity asked unbelievably. Yami briefly wet his lips before casting his gaze amusedly down toward her as they filed into the hall.

"And how else would we leave?" His deep voice rang teasingly. The Queen sent the entertained man an annoyed glance before she turned her eyes straight ahead. For as well as she thought she knew him she certainly had a hard time predicting his actions. After bidding the doorman goodnight she was taken aback to see a black carriage with two horses and a driver at its helm awaiting them. Serenity sent the man at her arm a questioning glance.

"It isn't far," he explained as his eyes fell upon her. "You're terrified of the shadows, and you throw a fit when I try to carry you. Do you hate this sort of transportation, also? My, my Serenity there truly is no appeasing you." Yami spoke artfully with a wink.

"No," Serenity spoke looking back to the carriage in wonder. "This is fine," her voice perked up as she rolled through her thoughts. She had never ridden in such a contraption before, and the idea, actually, did seem rather exciting. Approaching it curiously, she was taken aback when a young human male leapt down from the driver's area. His bright green eyes widened upon her as he leaned forward to offer his hand.

"Let me help you up, Miss," he requested in wonder as he stared in awe upon the woman who was angelic in appearance. Before it even registered to Serenity to accept his gesture, an arm came between them and gripped onto her hand in a blur of black. Feeling the vampire's warm body at her back she shifted her gaze and balked when she observed Yami glaring poisonously toward the driver who couldn't help but quake beneath his stare. "I-uh, I'm sorry!" He choked and immediately turned to climb up into his seat. Resisting the urge to scold him for being so hateful to the harmless man she stepped into the vessel, and shivered when she felt another guiding hand touch a bare patch of skin at her hip. Immediately sitting down on the cushy seat behind her, she was again surprised to see Mai sitting just across the way. Yami fell roughly to the seat beside her, sending his red hot gaze angrily to the woman that merely smirked toward them.

"It isn't my fault," Mai spoke with a shrug, "I instructed him to do nothing but drive, just as you said. Clearly he's an idiot." She explained, crossing one creamy white leg over the other. The alluring vampiress was more formally clothed than she had seen her in the past. She looked stunning in the short and strapless sage colored dress whose satiny fabric clung to her curvy body. Serenity briefly admired the thin strappy heels wrapped around her slim ankles before turning to look out the carriage's window. Just who were they going to see? In her traveling clothes that consisted of a long gray jacket, solid white v-neck, black slacks and boots she suddenly felt considerably under dressed.

"Have I told you how lovely you look this evening, Serenity?" He smirked down at her with the side of his body coming just barely in contact with hers. The vampire languidly hung his arm over the seat where his fingertips lightly grazed the far shoulder of her coat. She was certainly not looking any more spectacular than normal and therefore was not impressed with the man's shameless monitoring of her self conscious thoughts. "You are nothing but marvelous in whatever you wear, at any and every angle." He grinned and Serenity's face went hot when considering where the vampire would have been focusing his attentions as she climbed into the carriage.

"_Where _are we going and to see _whom_?" Serenity asked firmly; wishing to change the subject to a far less embarrassing one.

"She is a long-time friend who goes by Akane Karasuma," Mai answered gaining the Queen's attention. "At over two thousand years of age she's one of the oldest of our kind, surviving the dangerous world by being outstandingly beautiful and ruthless." The blonde vampire spoke of the woman she clearly held admiration for. Serenity's mind wrapped around the words suspiciously. So Yami had another _friend_? And one who was an attractive _lady_ _vampire _as well? She cursed herself inwardly. If this blasted blood drinker planned to parade her around like some kind of prize to his current lover, he would sure as hell have a few choice and heated words coming to him.

"_Friend _is a rather loose term and not really appropriate," Yami spoke, keeping his interested gaze focused squarely on the fairy, "Let's just say she's an acquaintance to whom I've charged a very valuable object under her care. I trust her solely on the fact that she's intelligent enough not to _fuck_ with me." He spoke very bluntly of the nature of he and this woman's relationship.

"She has a Millennium Item?" Serenity asked quietly. Yami's eyes lit up, appearing absolutely tickled on the fairy's assumption.

"I suppose I should pray to the Gods for granting me such superb company. The Moon's queen is just as quick witted as she is altogether dazzling," the handsome vampire charmed, seemingly not caring about Mai's presence. "But what I cannot figure out, considering how observant you are, is why you continually assume I have any interest in keeping a lover that is anyone but you." Yami displayed his teeth in a wicked smile.

'_Stop reading my mind!_' Serenity glowered as her thoughts roared toward the mind reader. In a swift movement, Yami's hanging arm flew around her waist and she was spun to face him before she even had time to blink. Her bent knees fell at either side of him straddling the man's warm lap as he let his securing hand rest upon the small of her back. She quickly thrust a hand into his muscular chest, in attempt to prevent any other unwelcome romantic attacks from the stronger vampire. Chuckling lightly he easily slid her taut arm around his neck and pulled her against him, letting his mouth hover just before her ear. She could feel her heart beat against his chest and resisted a shiver at the feel of his torrid breath on her skin.

"I will, if you stop being _so_ interesting," he replied with a hot and breathy whisper.

"We're here," Mai announced as the carriage came to a stop. Serenity attempted to scramble away from him, but was halted when he wrapped his powerful arms securely around her.

"Good," was all he said and instantaneously she was standing; still locked in an embrace with the incredibly forward vampire. Stepping back from him, Yami let his arms fall so that she could turn to see a building incredible enough in size to be considered a palace. An ominous cawing caught her sensitive ears and upon turning her eyes to the sky she noticed several black crows fly out from the roof of the home and into the night sky. Her attention falling to the blonde vampire to her left she watched as Mai moved to rap on the double doored entrance but as soon as she approached the twin humongous barriers swung open to the inside of the building.

Spying two strangely dressed men with bare chests and black sarongs wrapped around their lower halves she suppressed a gasp upon noticing the distinctive shape of their ears, which came to a shallow point at the top. What were _elves _doing in a vampire's home? The clicking sounds of elegant heels broke the silence as a womanly figure drifted down the curved stairwell. Serenity's blue eyes widened, outstandingly beautiful was an understatement, this vampiress was _gorgeous_.

The woman wore a skin-tight chocolate brown dress that dipped dangerously low into the cleavage of her large breasts that were held back by thin silken straps just below her bust. Long and flowing locks of shiny reddish-brown hair cascaded down just past her bottom as she swayed her curvaceous hips with confidence in each and every step. Her chestnut brown skin blended in beautifully with her similarly colored strands. Its tone almost reminded her of Yami's coloring which defied what was typically thought to define a vampire whose skin was told to be pale. Serenity almost choked on her breath when she watched the tall and leggy woman thrust a folded black whip into one of the elf's hands. The unfamiliar vampire's gleaming brown eyes spotted Mai standing in front of their group and her face practically glowed with happiness.

"Miss Akane, it is so good to see you!" Mai beamed as the woman of equal height quickly leaned in and crushed her into an embrace.

"Mai!" the one who went by Akane Karasuma cried happily and pulled back to look into the other's face. "It's been almost a hundred years my dear, and I must say, you've never looked more beautiful!" Relinquishing their embrace, Mai half-smiled as she vainly flipped a lock of blonde hair.

"What can I say? I learned from the best," the sultry violet-eyed woman grinned.

"Oh, stop," Akane waved her hand resting it upon her collar bone in an equally vainglorious fashion. "Who have you brought along with-" The auburn haired vampire paused as her eyes widened when they fell on the man who stood alongside Serenity at the edge of the doorway's steps. Her casual stance became rigid and chocolate brown eyes flooded with fear as she locked them with his intense and blood-red orbs. "Yami..." The words trailed icily from her mouth.

"Hello, Akane," The ill-famed vampire spoke smoothly and apparently void of any emotion.

"We bear you know ill-will," Mai piped up quickly, though Akane's eyes remained locked with the powerful male's. "Though pleased to visit you we've also come to inquire about the item left with you several years ago?" The brunette vampiress visibly relaxed as a small smile played across her features.

"Yes, of course," Akane answered softly and began gliding toward where Serenity stood close to Yami's side. The Queen watched confoundedly as the woman's attitude to the other vampire completely changed as she sauntered closer. The look in the woman's eyes was one she had seen before; directed to herself from a lover's red and shining irises. Though it was clear Yami's presence commanded distinct terror within the other it seemed his deadly reputation wasn't enough to mask the raging desire she held for the man at the Royal's side. Serenity winced at the twinge of jealousy that coursed through her form. Just as the vampiress opened her mouth to speak her nostrils flared and eyes opened wide. Whipping her head to face the petite blonde, she flashed her sharp fangs in a salivating smile.

"A fairy..." she almost whispered and Serenity couldn't recall a time where she had felt more like a piece of meat than she did in this moment. "A gift for me after all these long years, old friend?" She looked hopeful, but Yami responded by snaking his arm along the horrified blonde's waist and pulling her into him.

"Akane," Yami sounded quietly. "Serenity is mine." He asserted much more calmly than he did to Bakura the night before. The woman briefly appeared irked as she moved her stare away from Serenity and back to the other vampire's, but eventually nodded in response to the poignant statement.

"Serenity," Akane repeated, slowly letting the words roll off her tongue. "Of course she is yours, Yami. Only a great fool would give up someone as lovely as she," the tall vampiress smiled letting her eyes linger on Serenity once more before turning to the great home's doorway. "Please, come inside. It sounds like we have some catching up to do." Her sultry voice rang as she stepped inside the doorway, Mai immediately following behind her. As Yami moved to follow, Serenity planted her feet against his arm and turned to glare upward to his smirking face.

"I am _not _an object. Please stop speaking of me as if I am." She spoke firmly.

"Ownership is a very important distinction to our kind. When I say that _you're mine_ it means if she or any other attempts to harm you I fully intend to retaliate and most likely destroy the offender." Yami explained, "not that I particularly feel the need to warn others of my intentions, it is usually enough to avoid an unnecessary conflict." Serenity scrunched her nose, but nodded as she allowed the vampire to escort her into the mansion.

"You avoiding conflict seems like somewhat of an oxymoron," the fairy cracked a smile in an attempt to lighten the mood, but felt a little disheartened when Yami didn't smile.

"When it comes to protecting you, keeping you out of harm's way is my primary concern." He replied softly as the two approached the female vampires who stood by a row of more male and female elves, at least ten of them who were dressed similarly to the ones at the door, with the exception of the females who wore small black tops over their breasts.

"I'm somewhat of a collector, you see," the lady of the household explained to Mai, "Although they are all elves they display amazingly heightened fairy characteristics. Can't you tell?"

"Yes," the blonde vampire answered as she brandished a sly smile to one of the males who stood at attention. "They smell _fantastic _almost completely like a fairy."

It would be an understatement to say that Serenity was merely horrified by this awful display and explanation. But what bothered her the most is that she didn't notice any chains or restraints keeping them from escaping. Did they really choose to live in this household as this woman's slaves?

"And they _taste_ even better, choose whichever one you like. Just don't hurt whoever you pick _too _badly. I'm rather fond of all of them," Akane grinned. "Serenity," the brown-eyed woman continued, "you can enjoy the company of one also if you're not interested in hearing Yami and I's boring conversation. You may not be interested in their blood but I assure you they're all well trained in providing _other_ services." The vampire finished with a wink. The Fae's queen might've toppled over at the suggestion if it wasn't for the arm, belonging to a currently fuming man, around her slender waist.

"It was only a joke, Yami," Akane laughed melodically as the elder vampire glared daggers in her direction. "I'm sure you take very good care of your sweet fairy, just as I do with mine." She spoke cryptically and turned her gaze to the stairwell. Following her line of sight, Serenity again almost fell over in shock as she laid eyes upon the woman who descended the steps. And the Moon's queen knew with absolute certainty she was a pure blooded fairy solely by smell and appearance.

"I apologize I wasn't here earlier to help greet your guests, Lady Karasuma," the woman with flowing light blue locks bowed politely at the bottom stairs. Akane immediately zipped to her side and lovingly moved a stray strand of hair away from the newly arrived fairy's face.

"Think nothing of it my love. I did after all have you in a rather _compromising _position before we were interrupted." The vampiress chuckled just before placing a chaste kiss upon the other's lips and wrapping a securing arm around her bare waist.

Though Serenity had always been taught it was rude to stare, she did so anyway toward the one of her own kind who let herself become a monster's slave. The tall and beautiful woman looked the part of a bedroom toy as she donned a harem girl's appearance. Though the sky blue fabric of her clothes was stunning, it covered very little of her light pink skin. A small bandeau style top covered her mid-sized bust where netting adorned with shells and beads stemmed down just above her jewel pierced navel. A semi-translucent material sewn into wide and flowing floor length pants covered her lower half. Beneath it a tiny solid colored garment allowed a minute semblance of decency as thankfully all her private parts were covered. The entire ensemble was completed by a spectacular head piece that hung over her crown and forehead decorated with deep blue gemstones.

"The fairy race is a small one, and since it's even rarer to find one on the Earth perhaps the two of you know each other." Akane spoke again. "Serenity, please meet my Reiko."

In truth, while the number of existing fairies was so small that she truly did think she knew each one, Serenity had never seen the one named Reiko before in her over one thousand years of life. But the world be damned if Reiko's bright blue eyes didn't widen in knowing as they fell upon the Fae's famed queen. Turning her cool gaze back to Akane, Serenity pursed her lips.

"I'm afraid we haven't before met, Miss Karasuma," she replied politely.

"What a pity. At least you have now," The lady vampire smiled, "Shall we go to discuss what you've come for in the drawing room, then?" Turning back to Mai who was sending guiltless and hungry glances to toward the elves in the room, she grinned. "Entertain whomever you like my friend, only Reiko is mine." She invited and turned to a set of opened French doors, indicating that Yami and Serenity should enter.

Almost reluctantly walking beside her former vampire lover, who had been unusually silent for the past several minutes, she sat down upon a plush and fancy styled sofa closely beside him. For the first time since she'd arrived to the Earth she was thankful for the red-eyed man's touch at her side. This whole strange and disturbing experience made her extremely uncomfortable and even with all his faults Yami was guaranteed to defend her if this strange vampire made good on the longing looks she had tossed toward her way. Glancing briefly to the roaring fireplace at the back of the room, Serenity turned her attention to the two women who sat down on a chaise loveseat across from them after shutting the room's door.

"Although I'd hate to ask," Akane broke the silence. "Reiko and I were in the middle of something before you arrived. Would you mind if we finished before we chat?" Without responding, Yami sent his gaze down to Serenity and lifted an inquisitive eyebrow, fighting back the smirk on his face. Serenity looked dumbfoundedly upon him. How else was she supposed to answer? If they had other business to attend to it was only polite to wait as long as it was for only a reasonable amount of time.

"Please, don't let us keep you from something important," Serenity spoke with instilled manners and a courteous smile. And much to the fairy's horror, the brunette vampire lunged atop Reiko and attacked her with a rabid kiss.

The Royal froze in shock when Akane left her lover's mouth and bit down viciously upon the side of her neck, eliciting a small moan of mixed pleasure and pain from the other. Slinging her widened eyes to her hands she was near hyperventilation as she sat in disbelief. _This _was the business they had to finish…and they were going to do it _here_! A small snicker from the man on her left sent her blood boiling in fury. Completely red in the face, the petite woman tossed her stormy glare upon Yami and flattened her lips in effort to keep herself from screaming. His unholy red eyes were laughing down at her, as he leaned casually against his seat with a hand tangled lazily in his multi-colored and wild spikes of hair. If there was ever a more opportune time for a wrathful tongue lashing, it was while the Fae Queen was trapped and forced to listen to two women in the midst of their personal relations.

'_So this is funny to you, is it?' _Serenity snapped in her thoughts as she narrowed her eyes upon his face where his smile only continually grew in his amusement. _'Oh you're such the charmer, Yami! This is exactly what I wanted to be doing tonight instead of sleeping.'_

A loud crash briefly shook Serenity from her thoughts. Bravely glancing from her peripheral vision she noticed the two women had knocked the chaise over in their maneuverings and were now thankfully hidden behind the piece of furniture. Though she wasn't so lucky in still having to hear how much each was enjoying the other. Focusing once again on Yami, she grit her teeth angrily to the smirking man.

'_Why in the God's name would you bring me here? For my own safety, huh? Like hell! You know the elven lineage contains goblin blood. All fairy children are told stories about the occasional insane elf that would devour a fairy if given the opportunity. Is that what you want? To feed me to either your crazy vampire friend or allow her elf slaves to eat me?' _The infuriated fairy accused. In a blur of black Serenity's back connected with the couch cushions with both arms pinned above her head by Yami's strong grip with ease. Locking down her hips between his knees he brought a free finger to her lips and silenced her surprised gasp. Revealing his fangs in a silent smile while hovering over her, he slowly drifted down to her ear and swiped it with his tongue briefly before breathing a sweltering sigh.

"You're being absurd, Serenity," he whispered so quietly it was doubtful anyone but she could hear. "If anyone is going to _eat_ you…it's going to be _me_." He rumbled. Glaring up to him insubordinately she struggled in vain beneath his steely hold.

"I'd rather _die_ than be yours or anyone's blood bank," she hissed lowly. Yami clicked his tongue in a few 'tsks' as he shook his head.

"Why do you always assume the worst from me? If you keep it up I'm going to begin to think you've never enjoyed even a single moment of my company. Especially since I didn't even mention _biting_ you…" Serenity's pupils dilated and she flushed completely red while staring into the man who grinned upon his wicked words. The sounds of the two others within the room slowly deafened as the pinned blonde's concentration leveled on her heartbeat and breathing that fell into rhythm with the man above her. Her tense and fighting body fell relaxed as she felt like the room was spinning. She was dizzy beneath his marveling gaze. Serenity's once angry mouth parted for a deeper breath and it caught the attention of Yami's crimson hued eyes where they darted upon her invitingly pink lips.

"Don't get me wrong," he murmured still staring toward her slowly breathing mouth, "I'm sure your blood is the best in all the world; the universe even. I just-" the man's low voice paused as he drifted his mouth softly against the tip of Serenity's nose in a gesture that sent a roaring surge of heat down her spine. "I suppose I just find blood to be so dull when I'm stuck fantasizing about tasting all the other _delicious_ parts of you." He whispered huskily, tickling her lips with the vibrations of his approaching mouth. But suddenly, the scenery changed as he pulled her to sit beside him. The fairy's slim body molded into the side of the vampire's where he held her possessively under his black clad arm.

Coming out of her daze she noticed the reason for their movement as Akane, now apparently done with she and her partner's ministrations, rose from the floor straightening her clothing. Pushing the loveseat back to its proper place with ease the vampiress lifted Reiko from the floor and roughly deposited the half-conscious girl to the seat with ease. Though Serenity's concentration was understandably scattered she stared toward the other fairy in disapproval. The woman was a mess from her hair to her twisted clothing and looked ready to faint from being drained of blood. Catching the Queen's eyes, Reiko turned away and blushed shamefully. How could any woman allow herself to be humiliated in this way?

"Well," The brown-haired vampire sighed, rubbing a thumb against her bright red lips. "As Mai mentioned, I assume you're here to collect the tauk?" Serenity's memory twitched at recognizing the familiar name.

"Yes," The Egyptian vampire replied plainly.

"I've always been honored for you allowing me to keep it for you, Yami," Akane spoke his name longingly, almost appearing upset that he wanted the object returned. The elder man regarded her affection by hardening his fiery gaze to which she shifted in her seat uncomfortably. "Well, I have it hidden in a secret place, one in which only I know about," she explained. "If you give me until tomorrow evening I will retrieve it and give it back to you." At her spoken words Yami stood, bringing Serenity up along with him as he did so. Akane instinctively cringed toward the back of her seat but relaxed when the man paid her with a smirk.

"That'll be fine," he spoke finitely, "I'll return tomorrow," and turning he gently led his fairy companion to the door and opened it fluidly. Akane began to stand up but paused at the sound of the other's voice. "We'll let ourselves out," Yami spoke commandingly, sounding somewhat irritated as he stepped through the door alongside the Moon's queen.

"Good-bye," Serenity heard Akane's voice and turned to look back at her just before she stepped out of view. "I hope to see you again, Serenity," the attractive woman spoke softly baring to her a toothy smile. Something about the woman's dark eyes and wish chilled the blonde to the bone, if it were up to her she'd never have to make her acquaintance again. Hurriedly walking alongside Yami, she looked to him confoundedly as they rushed outside the mansion's doors.

"Why the sudden hurry?" Serenity demanded, "you drug me out here and put me through a hell of a lot of embarrassment for a two minute conversation. What about Mai?" The fairy grumbled in annoyance. Before she could continue her tirade he immediately swept her into his arms.

"She's old enough to find her own way home," was all he replied and at an impossible speed Yami had delivered the two just outside the inn before Serenity even had time to realize she had been pulled through the shadows. Upon being set on her feet, the perturbed fairy whirled around to give him a piece of her mind but paused when she caught a glimpse of his feverish stare. The King of Games appeared almost as if he was in pain as his blood-red chasms singed her with purely lustful intentions. The string of incidents in the mansion's drawing room had apparently had a more profound effect on the vampire than he had let on.

"You had better go inside, past and soon to be future lover," Yami suggested seriously, "because if you don't I can't guarantee I won't break that little promise I made to you earlier tonight," he paused as a restrained sound rumbled from the base of his throat, "in every way imaginable." Though Serenity still had a list of things to scold him about, including that last little quip in how he referred to her, she thought better of it and immediately turned and began walking back to the inn. His blazing orbs followed her retreat and he released a yearning sigh when she finally disappeared from sight.

"What do you want?" The ancient vampire suddenly growled, not taking his eyes off the building. With a silent rustling of brush, the tall werewolf Honda stalked out of a bordering wooded area.

"We've been patrolling this area for hours," the man with spiked hair spoke, still not earning the other's gaze as he walked up behind him. "This area is crawling with trolls and goblins. I've killed two of them already and ran off at least ten more."

"Is that so," Yami replied, letting his eyes flutter closed as he smirked. "It's just as I expected then. They do after all prefer mountainous areas since rarely do humans congregate there in large numbers."

"They wouldn't normally come so close to a town like this. I think they can smell the fairies and can't resist coming to take a closer look." Honda assessed aloud. Yami chuckled darkly.

"Well, thanks for the lesson in fairy attraction, wolf, really; I'm enlightened," The vampire spoke sarcastically, "So if you're finished, please carry on with your own business because I'm really not in the mood to entertain a mangy mutt."

"Look Blood-sucker!" Honda roared, gripping his hands into fists. He faltered slightly, when Yami finally turned his head and regarded him with a sneer and angry eyes, but immediately puffed out his chest. "The only reason I'm talking to you is because the three of us have to leave in the morning. Tomorrow is a full moon and we'll be spending it in the plain lands. So it'll be your job to make sure the others aren't attacked while they're sleeping."

"Then leave tonight! I can take care of this myself." Yami snapped, "And besides, if I have to spend the rest of the night out here tearing apart goblins I'd rather not have to be smelling _you_." The were immediately transformed into his partial-canine form at the other's insult and snapped his sharpened teeth with a gnarl.

"You can't order me around! You're nothing but a walking corpse!" Honda roared and as he moved to lunge he released a high pitched whine upon being slammed into a tree. Securing the taller man against the shattered bark roughly at his neck, Yami's murderous crimson eyes shone like a beacon upon him. Gritting his deadly teeth, the vampire squeezed harder earning a helpless whimper from the overpowered man.

"If you value your life at all, you'll stay out of my sight for the rest of this night!" The powerful man rumbled threateningly. After the werewolf dropped his transformation and managed a painful nod, Yami released his grip and let him fall to his hands and knees.

"What in the _hell _is your problem?" Honda struggled for breath as he rubbed his bruised neck, slowly coming to his feet. Yami scowled down upon him, curling his upper lip into a snarl as he caught his gaze.

"Nothing," he growled lowly. "I just really feel like _killing _something."

* * *

The Fae's prince tossed and turned in his sleep as he sprawled out over the entire bed with his stretched limbs. Drooling slightly on his pillow, he suddenly grinned and brought it against him in a tight hug.

"Aw Rei, you know I don't like to be tickled," he mumbled aloud as if his dreams were real. A sudden sound at his room's door awoke the fairy from his slumber as his hazel eyes fluttered open in confusion. Running his fingers through his shaggy blonde hair he squinted to the door in confusion when the impatient sound came again. "What the…" Jou muttered as he groggily stood from the bed. Wearing nothing but a pair of green drawstring pants he approached the door and swung it open. He blinked several times when his eyes filled with the woman in the doorway.

Intensely bright violet eyes met with his and darted quickly over his half naked form. The sultry woman leaned her spectacular form in the doorway as she assessed every inch of the confounded man within the bedroom.

"Mai?" Jou asked in disbelief and as he reached his hands up to rub his sleepy eyes he was abruptly tackled to the ground. The gorgeous blonde straddled his waist as she attacked the inside of his hot mouth with her enthusiastic tongue. Smoothing her fingers along his sculpted abdominals and up to his firm chest, she sighed against his mouth when his trembling hands fell upon the satiny fabric covering her curvy hips. With a jolt the man pushed her backwards and pulled his lips away from hers in shock. A furious blush flying across his cheeks he looked into her annoyed gaze with wide eyes.

"Wha-what are you doing?" He demanded as she rolled off of him to sit back on her heels, revealing a gratuitous amount of her long legs as she did so.

"I thought I'd pay the Thunder God a little visit to celebrate his victory this evening," Mai purred as she fell to her hands and knees. Crawling over the lying man, her spectacular bust fell just in line with hazel eyes. She smiled fangily as he was momentarily hypnotized by her praiseworthy curves.

"Bu-but, I can't do this with you!" Jou protested as Mai lifted a skeptical brow. "You're not the gal I love." He breathed in amazement. The vampiress narrowed her amethyst orbs.

"Look bucko," she spoke softly, "I'm not looking for marriage or your undying devotion. I'm only here to gratify your every desire in exchange for a drop of blood or two." The busty blonde whispered through pouty lips. At the sound of the word 'blood' Jou gripped on to his neck with his hand nervously. "Or just the sex," she quickly corrected. "I did already feed tonight and I _do _find you downright irresistible." She winked. Gently pushing the woman away from him, Jou sat up and looked into her disappointed eyes.

"I'm sorry but that ain't me." Jou said nervously as he placed a hand behind his head. "I can't just make love to another girl when I love somebody else. No matter how beautiful ya are." He laughed goofily with a slight blush. Mai narrowed her eyes. Snapping angrily to her feet she stared down to him with a deep frown.

"What are you talking about?" She growled. "Make love? What kind of man doesn't like sex? Especially when I'm not asking for anything from you?" The woman demanded in disbelief. Standing to his full height he towered over her.

"Well of course I _like _it," he said sheepishly while rubbing the back of his dirty blonde hair. "But, well, I guess I'm just a good guy." He said with a shrug. Crossing her arms haughtily she upturned her nose into the air.

"Well good luck winning over your other fairy friend, then," Mai spoke bitterly. "Rei would rather light you on fire then give you an ounce of pleasure." Jou's shoulders fell as he released a forlorn sigh.

"Yea I know…" he said, sounding sad. The vampire shifted her angry amethyst eyes, and they softened slightly as she looked upon him. "But that ain't a reason to give up on someone you love right? I gotta try!" He said resolutely with a determined smile.

"I suppose so," Mai responded quietly and turned her lithe form to the door. "Sorry for bothering you," she said but stopped when Jou's hand reached and fell upon her shoulder. Turning to look at him she lifted an unimpressed eyebrow.

"Hey, since I'm up would like to stay and hang out?" He asked with a grin. "I've got this card game I like to play and no one to play it with. Just because we can't be lovers doesn't mean we can't be friends!" Mai placed a moody hand on her hip and looked down at her nails with wounded pride.

"The sun will be up soon. I had better be going." Her voice sounded completely void of interest.

"Oh, alright," Jou's voice fell. "Maybe some other time then." He said and shifted over to the desk to pick up and study the pack of cards in his palm. Shaking her head Mai moved to walk out the door but suddenly stopped to give him one last glance. The man looked saddened, almost if he really was crushed by the fact that Rei didn't return his feelings in the slightest. With a small sigh, the lady vampire turned around and smirked toward him.

"I'll stay. For just _one _game." She spoke holding a single finger into the air. Jou's face lit up happily as he flashed his pearly whites. "And under the condition that you teach me to really good at it so I can challenge Yami and defeat him." Mai revealed a fanged grin as she sat down on the floor before the fairy.

"Is he really _that_ good at games?" The Prince questioned as he shuffled and dealt the cards. Mai rolled her ambient eyes as she picked up the thin objects placed before her.

"You have no idea."

* * *

THANK YOU to: **Sesshy's Mistress, Eternalmoonprincess, Yami Nocturna, Saris Yui, RoseMouto2010, Cosmic-lover, Anexya, Serena-hime**, and **SailorVmoon1311815 **for taking the time to read and review the last chapter.

So, I felt *really* bad that a lot of you weren't too pleased with the last installment so I worked really hard to get this done quick and it is pretty much *all* Serenity and Yami, riiiight? (And poor Yami is pretty hella frustrated XD)

This is definitely the most "steamy" chapter I've produced so far and to be honest I'm kind of testing the waters here for what I really had in mind so let me know if you thought it was too much (Fan service for everyone!) ^_^'

About the Bakura part in case it was confusing. When I mention the "Ka" thing, the Yu-gi-oh storyline sort of follows the Egyptian beliefs that a person's soul is split into a "Ba" and a "Ka." Pharaoh's were thought to have thousand Kas while normal people just had one. In Yu-gi-oh, Atem pretty much as three (The Three Egyptian God Monsters) so that's what I was talking about. Again I probably don't have it down _exactly _to the true Egyptian interpretation or Yu-gi-oh one but since it's this is just a fanfiction just cut me some slack and go with it! ^^

So there was a lot of foreshadowing in this chapter (keep it in mind for the next one! Mwhahaha) and we have the appearance of some more Sailor Moon characters! Akane and Reiko (Sailor Lead Crow and Sailor Aluminum Siren in the Anime/Manga). I really really love Sailor Lead Crow, she's awesome and really beautiful so I'm glad I got a chance to have her in this…and if you couldn't tell she's not quite done with this story yet, ;).

A small proposition for you all: **I promise to have the next chapter out by next Tuesday (6-28-11) if I get at least 10 reviews by then!** Pretty much everything from here on out will be primarily focused on Serenity/Yami since they're the main characters of this story…so I hoped I've redeemed myself and I very much appreciate your honest opinions! It really helps me become a better writer! :)


	11. Or a Monster You'll Become

The Ostiary

Kochou-hime

**All characters belong to their respective owners.**

...Or a Monster You'll Become

There were not but a few things more breathtaking than watching the sun rise over the quiet Earth. Brilliant blends of red, orange and purple light conquered the sky that had once contained nothingness; bringing vivid color and beauty back to everything that had been covered with darkness. Beautiful moments such as this were something Serenity had taken for granted for the few short years she called the Earth home as a child. The Princess of Old Land Fae had cherished her sleep as much as she did now at over a thousand years of age, but the woman's turmoil concerning the events of the previous night had made it impossible for her to enjoy such a luxury. Letting her heavy eyelids flutter close she sighed softly as the cool breeze brushed across her face. There weren't many green or plant luscious places within the mountainous area she and her companions currently resided, but she had managed to find a hidden oasis of trees and a small lake not far from the human town.

Serenity's hopes and dreams were much simpler before Zorc had brought his terror upon the planet with his freedom. She had always imagined she'd be much older when she finally became the Moon's queen; ninety-seven was actually quite young for a fairy especially when her beautiful and ageless parents were supposed to live on forever. Though she had her moments where she missed the Earth, life had seemed right and complete on the Moon because in truth, where her family lived would always be the place she would call home.

The flaxen-haired dreamer had fantasized of being married on the Palace of Lucere's grandest balcony at sunset, when the setting sun always appeared a stunning pink within the sky. She'd be wearing her mother's wedding dress, or perhaps a different one that had been made especially for her. Who the groom would be was something she hadn't quite yet decided, only that it would be someone who had earned her proud father's respect and to whom he'd give her hand without questioning it once.

Each and every male suitor that had come calling for her in the past was equally spectacular in their own way. Outstanding beauty and wholesomeness was a trait that could be found in any fairy man or woman, making the process of choosing a mate more difficult than it should have been in theory. Of all those fae men who would have forfeit all they had to become her forever companion, she truthfully hadn't loved a single one of them. Not even Seiya, the suave noble and the first man to make her heart beat a little faster than all the rest, had come close to reserving such a feeling.

But he had the King's favor, which was well deserved. Though a bit of a flirt among the noble fairy women, Serenity couldn't name a more honest or virtuous man. Coming from a powerful lineage of fairies himself, his great magical prowess and strength prompted her father to name him the Duke of Starlight: one of the largest provinces in Lucere. She was confident he would be the one to be her consort as he was by any fae's definition the perfect man. Maybe she didn't love him yet, but she had been determined she would come to over time. What seemed so incredible about her past aspirations now is that she had been _so sure_. There was nothing that could have prepared her for the intense and opposing feelings that battled within her now.

Men like Yami weren't supposed to exist; his birth into this world should have never been allowed. In retrospect, maybe he had been kind in destroying all of his previous bed mates when he was done with them, because after experiencing all he had to offer no other lover could ever hope to rival him. And that was something Serenity had, most unfortunately, learned the hard way. Letting loose another soft sigh, the Moon's queen wrapped her arms around her legs where she sat beneath a tree overlooking the tranquil lake.

The ancient vampire embodied everything that made a man a _man_. He wasn't only the cleverest being she had ever encountered as she was convinced he was old enough to be the inventor of strategy. So cunning and mighty; there was a reason Yami had managed to not only survive but command a dominating presence in this dangerous world. No creature of sane mind would even consider facing him unless they were glutton for loss and a horrible punishment. But even in all his ruthlessness, Yami was spectacular company. She was continually amazed by his vast knowledge, making him easy to converse with for hours upon hours on almost any topic. Serenity supposed that thousands of years spent on the Earth may have contributed to this, but even so he never seemed to be annoyed with her and was always willing just to be near her or listen intently even when she was babbling of nonsense and other things of unimportance.

And then, there were more than a few things (thousands, probably) Serenity could acclaim of Yami's carnal knowledge, which was one of the fairy's more pressing concerns at the moment. She just couldn't shake the sensation of his warm and strong fingers against her skin or the teasing provocations that came from his mouth...and _not _always in the form of words. How many times in the few nights she'd been on the Earth had he snuck not-so-innocent kisses upon her? And not to mention how close he had come to claiming her lips as his prize. Wait, didn't he manage to _lick _her earlobe last night? Serenity groaned and dropped her forehead against her knees.

Though she had resolved to deal with him platonically he was absolutely driving her mad. That alluring man mocked her resilience with those outstanding crimson eyes of his and she could only assume he knew he was waning on her resolve with every flash of his fabulous half-smile. They both knew he needed nothing but the tiniest window; the smallest dip in her willpower would be enough to get what he wanted. Whatever sensual tactics he had planned for her she imagined he wouldn't need much time to satisfy as it had been a _long _one thousand years.

So, why? _Why_ did he have to be such a blood thirsty _monster_?

Serenity found all of Yami to be completely and overwhelmingly stunning from the tips of his fingers to his wickedly sharp fangs, but it was the things he _did_ with them that made her stomach tie itself in knots. Wasn't it altogether immoral for her to be the lover of a man who not only was a callous murderer but a person who relished in doing so? How could someone be so cruel to the world yet bring nothing but pleasure to her being, body and mind? And perhaps what was the most deplorable question of all: did such a creature even deserve her devotion? Anyone's? Did she, could she, possibly or really, truly, _love_ him? Serenity squeezed her eyes shut as she tugged helplessly onto the streamers of her long golden hair.

Of course she did.

"Help!" A crying screech shook Serenity from her thoughts. Quickly coming to a stand she turned her silvery-blue eyes to the source of the noise. "Please! Somebody help me!" The feminine voice sounded once more in panic. Feeling a rush of urgency, Serenity quickly darted into the small but dense tree cover. Running water filled her ears as she spotted a small waterfall, trickling from the side of the rock face. Her eyes widened as she noticed a woman with long black braids of hair with a leg trapped knee deep in sinking mud.

"Oh, thank the Gods!" The woman announced. "Please, I'm stuck and sinking fast!" She yelped. Bursting into action Serenity came closer but suddenly stopped upon noticing a certain and very specific detail about the pleading woman. Coming free from being tucked under one of the woman's braids was a pointed ear pierced with a large silver ring. Apprehension immediately overtook the Queen. While it was very rare for an elf to be overcome with maddened goblin tendencies, which usually led to the desire to feast crazily on flesh especially that of tender fairies, Serenity had no inkling to become anyone's breakfast.

"Please, hold tight I'm going to go get help!" Serenity called as she moved to turn on heel.

"Wait!" The woman screeched desperately. Pausing in her steps, the fairy turned back to look into the other's amber and cat-like eyes. "There are goblins in this area! I can smell them!" She practically sobbed. "I know you're not human, please, don't let me get eaten!" The blonde's eyes widened as she took a deep breath from the air.

She was right, the scent of both goblins and trolls swarmed their area and Serenity must have been too pensive and exhausted to notice it before. Without a second more to contemplate, the Royal moved forward and gripped onto the woman's hands and pulled her forward with all of her strength. Surprisingly, the black haired elf came out of the mud easily and the force of her tug sent the taller woman on top of the fairy as they toppled onto the ground. Looking into the other's yellow eyes in a daze, Serenity balked as she stared into her wicked grin that was decorated with tiny but dagger-like elven fangs.

"Too easy," the woman purred pushing a chemical soaked cloth against Serenity's face and nose and the sunny day went from hazy to black for the struggling fairy.

* * *

Groggily, Serenity released a displeased whimper while prying open her tired eyes. Her back felt stiff and achy where she sat up straight against a hard surface. The ground felt cold below as her fuzzy vision slowly cleared. The fairy's pupils constricted as great windows pouring with sunlight momentarily blinded her once sleeping gaze. Finally focusing on the room, she noticed it to be fairly empty, with a few structural pillars supported upon a white marble floor. Attempting to shift her body she found that she couldn't and finally noticed that her arms were thrust upward. Sending her attention to her hoisted hands she choked on her breath upon viewing that they were secured in fabric lined cuffs that were attached to the wall. Moving her arms in an attempt to free herself she paused to turn her head to the floor. The unmistakable smell nearly made her vomit, the metal was made from solid iron, which would be enough to weaken her but the fabric cover ensured they would not burn into her skin.

As she tried to hold in the contents of her stomach, her midsection lurched again upon seeing she was wearing very different clothing. Translucent pink and shimmery fabric traveled down her slender legs bunched at her ankles where a band of gold jewelry wrapped around each one. Her mouth dropped open as she turned her eyes wildly to her hips and inwardly sighed in relief that she had been allowed a solid pink undergarment though it hardly made her feel any better. Her slim abdominals were almost bare beneath a jewel encrusted veil attached to a brazier similar in hue. While all of her private parts were covered the top still revealed an ample amount of cleavage in such a manner the Queen would never be caught presenting. Gold bands were attached around her arms and her ears were strung with strings of jeweled gold through her piercings. The fairy's long yellow hair had fallen free from its usual style where it gathered in pools of spun gold upon the floor. As the iron slowly sucked away her energy Serenity grit her teeth in resolve as she used what strength she had to rattle the chains violently.

"What's going-" Serenity roared but her words fell dead at the sound of a cracked whip. Snapping her head to the side she glared angrily to the woman who she had "saved."

"There's no use screaming because no one will hear you. So you might as well shut up!" The elf ordered and suddenly smirked. "What do you think of your new outfit? I picked it out myself." Serenity looked in horror upon the woman who had also changed her clothes since she saw her in the mountains. The woman had her long and black twin braids twisted into what looked like cat ears on top of her head. Dressed almost exclusively in black leather, a tiny strapless top covered her breasts leaving her stomach bare with a black and red bow at the base of it. A tiny skirt barely concealed her bottom and fishnet stockings trailed along her pale legs into a pair of short-heeled boots. Around her neck she wore a collar of the same color with a tiny golden bell at its front.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Serenity demanded with fire in her usually peaceful blues. At this the strange feline-woman snapped her whip lightly across the fairy's legs, but she didn't cringe. The Fae's queen could feel nothing but fury as the red welt left across her creamy extremities quickly healed.

"You're in no position to be asking questions here, your _majesty_," she responded scathingly as she moved her face in closer to the prisoner's. "But since you're more spirited than I thought you'd be I'll humor you. You can call me Nyanko and all I want is _you_." The woman said with a cat-like grin. "Actually, if you really want specifics I collected you by order from my master." She casually explained. Serenity's eyes dilated in horror as she finally pieced together where she had seen harem clothes and strangely behaving elves in one place.

"Akane Karasuma!" The fairy shouted. Nyanko growled as she raised the black whip into the air once more.

"It's _Lady _Akane Karasuma to you!" She screeched and just as Serenity winced upon expecting to be violently struck a small cry erupted before her. "Chuuko! Move!" Opening her eyes Serenity stared into the back of a tiny woman, almost appearing as if she was a small girl, standing before her with the whip tangled in her raised arms.

"You can't hurt her, Nyanko!" The one named Chuuko cried, "If you do Akane will punish you! Remember the last time you were _punished_?" At the words, Nyanko visibly blanched and gently pulled her whip away from the platinum haired girl. Narrowing her eyes, the angry woman stalked to the rooms exit.

"Fine, you can look after her for awhile then!" She hissed right before disappearing through the doorway. Chuuko sighed as she collapsed to her bottom just beside where Serenity was restrained. The fairy recognized her immediately to be a dwarf; perhaps Akane collected any creatures of fae heritage that smelled and tasted adequate to her standards. But this woman appeared kind, unlike the dreadful elf that had stolen her from the forest. The small dwarf's hair was purely white and peculiarly styled similar to her own typical hairstyle. The short streamers of curled strands against the twin buns made the tiny girl look like a little mouse, dressed similarly to Nyanko where white leather clothed her petite form.

"A few months ago Nyanko struck Reiko for leaving her room during the day when she wasn't supposed to," Chuuko suddenly spoke in a quiet whisper, as though someone may be listening. "She didn't walk for a month after Miss Akane saw the bruise. I don't even want to think about what would happen if she saw even a scratch on you." Serenity's eyes clouded over as she studied the spoken woman in frustration.

"Why am I here?" The Royal asked through clenched teeth. The dwarf blinked her big blue eyes.

"Well you're a real fairy, which are pretty rare. Vampire's like Miss-"

"Akane seems to already have enough blood and pleasure slaves to worry about." Serenity spoke bitterly, not having the slightest desire to be polite while being chained to the wall.

"Well, I suppose that isn't the only reason…" Chuuko responded, blushing shamefully on the Royal's pointed statement. "You see, Miss Akane has been fond of Mr. Yami for quite some time-"

"And she thinks apprehending me will send him running into her arms? You can't possibly expect me to believe that she is truly that stupid!" Serenity snapped so harshly that the small woman almost fell backwards.

"But that's what the Tauk revealed!" Chuuko squeaked causing Serenity to raise a skeptical eyebrow and shift her weight uncomfortably. "Last night when my master retrieved it, she tried it on and it revealed Nyanko taking you from the mountains to come and be hers. Then when Yami returned to retrieve the Tauk the both of them…well…" The golden blonde felt the pit of her stomach drop at the dwarf's insinuation. Shaking the unwelcome imagery of the two together from her mind Serenity held her defiant expression determinedly.

"Then she is a terrible fortune teller, because what you've said makes absolutely _no _sense." The captured spoke through grit teeth. Chuuko blinked in wonder as she leaned in gently and touched her fingers to the Queen's face who stared coldly back toward her.

"Nyanko and I overheard Reiko saying…" she trailed as she looked toward the other in amazement as she dropped her hand. "Are you really Queen Serenity?"

"Yes," Serenity answered simply, feeling the heat swarm to her face at the thought of the treacherous woman of her same blood. The dwarf released a choked sob as she collapsed to the ground into a deep kneel.

"This is so terrible!" She cried much to Serenity's surprise. "I thought kidnapping a fairy was bad enough but this is horrible! There are so many of us who wish everyday you would return and reclaim the throne to the Old Land from the awful King Diamond. And when you finally do come you end up chained to a wall by some of your own." The fairy's mouth fell open in surprise as she looked upon the tear stricken girl who buried her face into her arms.

"Listen to me!" Serenity pled and earned the woman's teary gaze. "There is something bigger going on than Akane's foolishness. It's even more important than Diamond's reign. An evil being so terrible that this Earth may very well be destroyed is out there. You must release me! If you don't I won't be able to stop him!" Chuuko's eyes lit up in fear.

"If I let you go…Master will destroy me!" The dwarf sniffled, wringing her small hands before her.

"I will not let her," Serenity spoke resolutely, "I can offer you safe passage to the Moon. Even though you're not a full blooded fairy you will be welcomed there and will _never _have to see another vampire again." Chuuko gasped. "I give you my word." Quickly jumping to her feet, the short woman escaped to the other side of the room and ran back with a long stemmed key in hand. As she opened each cuff, Serenity's exhausted arms momentarily fell to her lap, but she immediately leapt into action upon spying her crumpled clothes in the room's corner. Kneeling before the pile she plucked her hidden satchel from the jacket.

"I don't know how we're going to get out of here without someone catching us!" Chuuko whined.

"We'll go through one of these windows," The Fae's queen spoke quickly as she retrieved the Holy Blade and pulled the coat with satchel inside over her lamentable clothing.

"But we're four stories high!" The dwarf squealed but abruptly dropped her mouth in amazement when a pair of extraordinary translucent wings appeared on the fairy's back and sparkled in the sunlight. Serenity, now feeling fuller in spirits brandished the smaller woman a thumbs up before flashing a smile.

"It's a good thing I can fly then!" She announced and just as she moved to shatter the glass with her sword a long black whip snapped against her wrist and jerked it so quickly that the heirloom went clanging to the ground and spinning away from her. Freeing her arm from the weapon she narrowed her sea-blue eyes toward her kidnapper that with unfortunate timing had returned to the room.

"Chuuko! Stay behind me!" Serenity ordered as she braced herself in preparation to defend the both of them from the angry elf. Nyanko released an infuriated cry as she lunged toward Serenity with her whip flying wildly. Quickly ducking beneath the slashing attack, a disc of blinding light appeared at the tip of Serenity's fingers and with a heave she sent it hurling into the elf's gut. The cat-like woman screeched and doubled over as she fell back onto her bottom. Nyanko's amber eyes filled with fear as she looked upon the fairy that stood before her, poised and ready to attack again if necessary.

"It looks like I'm a bit tougher than you anticipated, at least when the fight is fair." Serenity mustered forth her most intimidating snarl. But, it was quickly replaced with surprise when the elf's face twisted into a wicked grin.

"Who said anything about fighting fair?" Nyanko sneered. Suddenly, a white gloved hand went across the fairy's mouth from behind her and as Serenity flailed her arms as she felt the energy become drained from her extremities. Falling limp against the person who had come through the room's other entrance, Serenity turned her half-lidded but accusing eyes to the offender and her blood ran cold. The blue eyes that stared back to her appeared remorseful where they were framed between cascading locks of light blue hair.

"I'm so sorry," Reiko whispered as Serenity once again drifted from consciousness as the iron based chemical moved from her lungs and poisoned her vasculature.

* * *

When Serenity awoke from her forced slumber for the second time she found herself in the exact same position she had been restrained to before Chuuko had released her. Her jacket had been removed and was sitting unceremoniously crumpled along with her other clothing and sword that was propped up against the window. Looking through the large chasm forlornly, she noticed the sun was near setting, which made her feel hope and hopelessness simultaneously. She prayed to the Gods that Yami would decide to collect the Millennium Tauk from Akane early in the evening, and perhaps before the dreaded vampire would have a chance to put a single well manicured and red painted finger upon her. The household's Lady must be a great fool, with Yami's impeccable ability to _read minds_ Akane didn't have a prayer in concealing what she had done. Did the fortune telling necklace really reveal her former vampire lover giving into Akane's desires? Why now? What significance did her kidnapping have to do with Yami wanting, the admittedly gorgeous woman, _now _in all the time the two had known each other? Sending the plague of doubt from her head; the fairy refused to believe what was claimed to be true. But even in her self assurance, she couldn't help but feel a tiny pang of jealous suspicion tug at her heart strings.

Shifting her aching neck, the fairy hiccupped as her horrified blue eyes fell upon a small body, rumpled and still, as it lie within a pool of blood. Hot tears wet her face as she choked back a sob upon confirming it to be Chuuko, the dwarf who had tried to save her and the one she failed to protect. A small chuckle earned Serenity's attention as she glared heatedly upon Nyanko who walked forward from where she stood at the opposite side of the room.

"I was going to wait and kill her in front of you. But you've been sleeping all day and I was impatient." The woman bared her tiny fangs in a grin.

"Of all the monsters who roam this Earth, the one who kills their own companions is the most dreadful of them all!" Serenity screeched in passion. Nyanko looked as if she wanted to strike with her whip but restrained herself with her other hand.

"Chuuko was no friend, especially after she betrayed Akane!" The black haired woman hissed. "We are all rivals for our master's affection, and you are my newest competition!"

"Then release me! I wish for nothing to do with your revolting _master_!" The Royal growled as she weakly rattled her chains. Before Nyanko could respond the sound of footsteps interrupted her.

"Please, stop taunting her, Nyanko," a soft voice instructed as Akane's most treasured bed partner entered the room with a plate filled with candy and sugared pastries in her hands. She was dressed almost identically to Serenity, with the exception that she wore light blue instead of pink. The elf scoffed and stormed back to her post at the opposite side of the great circular shaped room. Serenity felt her father's temper well up inside of her as her tempest blue eyes flooded completely to silver as the treacherous woman approached. In all of the horrible things Serenity had witnessed and experienced in her long lifetime betrayal was a brand new feeling and it burned her from within.

"Traitor," Serenity uttered from the depths of her throat as the woman knelt beside her. Reiko flinched, as if she had physically struck her face. After a couple of moments, the other fairy cleared her throat.

"I figured you'd be hungry, so I thought I'd bring you some treats!" The blue haired woman spoke brightly with a smile. While the Queen hadn't the slightest desire to eat, she had used almost all of her energy against Nyanko and being forced against iron cuffs wasn't helping the situation. If the chance for her to defend herself came to light, she would need as much fuel as she could possibly get. Narrowing her gaze, Serenity shook her arms sending the smell of iron and the sound of clanking metal raining down upon them. "Oh, right." Reiko responded as she plucked a small decorated chocolate ball and put it to the other woman's lips. Fighting the urge to bite the back-stabbing woman's fingers, Serenity accepted the morsel and chewed reluctantly not enjoying its taste at all in her current mood. Although humiliating, the fairy continued to allow herself to be fed in silence.

"You seem to tolerate the smell of iron well." Serenity commented after she finished chewing. "I guess you're used to being tied up like I am currently quite often." She remarked scathingly. Letting out a small whimper Reiko let the plate crash to the floor.

"I know you're upset; it's an awful thing I've done, especially to one of my own kind," Reiko choked as she looked pleadingly into Serenity's callous eyes. "But I love Akane; I had no other choice but to swear my loyalty to her as I already given her my heart." Serenity felt herself begin to tremor in fury as she listened to her words. "I know it seems bad now but it's going to be ok, more than ok, you're going to love being here! Akane isn't trying to take Yami away from you; she just wants us _all _to be together. Won't that be wonderful?"

"That _woman _doesn't love you," The blonde said harshly. "The only reason she treats you any differently than all of these others is because of your fairy appearance and the taste of your blood! She makes you wear these humiliating clothes and has no qualms of accosting you with what should be private between two lovers in front of others. How can you possibly believe she really cares for you? If your fairy heritage was stripped away, the one you don't _deserve_, you would be _nothing_!" Reiko was momentarily stunned to silence by the accusation, but she quickly responded with a flash of anger in her light blue orbs.

"I guess even royalty are guilty of calling the kettle black. I wonder what your vampire would think of you if he didn't find _your _blood so delicious!" She snapped back, her knuckles white as gripped them against the floor.

"He'd feel the same as he does now," Serenity responded coldly, "he's never tasted my blood; not even a drop."

"You're lying!" Reiko accused in disbelief.

"Listen to me," Serenity whispered lowly as she shifted in her uncomfortable seat to lean forward. "If you don't allow me to leave here immediately, you won't live to see another sunrise. You, Akane; _all of you _are as good as dead."

"I find that to be a rather unlikely scenario. Considering the tantalizing vision I've been granted from the future." A sultry voice sounded just beyond the two fairies.

"Good evening, Lady Karasuma," Nyanko immediately stepped forward and kneeled upon the floor. The expiration of the sun's final rays had escaped Serenity's attention, as she looked in horror toward the vampire that now stood in the darkened room. The auburn haired vampire looked impossibly perfect in the golden dress that hugged her tan-skinned and curvaceous figure. Fitting perfectly against her ample bust, the metallic fabric stopped short at its hem where high slits revealed gratuitous amounts of her toned thighs. Gold bands were molded to her legs and neck and black feathers were twirled around the dress's straps. Akane had certainly dressed for the occasion, taking Yami's Egyptian heritage in account for her plan of seducing him. But the object that attracted the greatest attention was the golden Millennium Tauk she wore shamelessly around her neck. Sniffing the air, Akane suddenly turned her eyes to Chuuko's body and frowned.

"Master, Chuuko freed Serenity and she was almost able to escape. I did what I had to." Nyanko spoke, now standing with her head dipped into a bow. Her clicking heels sounded ominous as she walked toward Nyanko who cringed when the vampire lifted her hand.

"Good kitty," Akane purred as she patted the top of the woman's head and placed a kiss atop it. "While I lament losing my precious little mouse I appreciate you sticking to my instructions." The amber-eyed elf revealed a pleased smile but balked when Akane suddenly frowned. "Clean it up!" She snapped while pointing to the body. Slumping her shoulders, Nyanko moved reluctantly to the gore-ish mess.

"Lady Karasuma," Reiko inclined her head when she came to a stand. Akane smiled as she came forward and brought the fairy into her embrace.

"My darling Sun and Sky, how I look forward to seeing you every evening," The brunette vampire spoke, "I see you've been entertaining our guest."

"I assure you I'm not here on my own accord!" Serenity suddenly snapped at the woman's terminology, immediately regretting bringing attention to herself as she earned the vampire's amused gaze. Sauntering away from Reiko, the elder woman flashed her fangs in a smile as she stood just before the fairy. Coming down slowly to a crouch, her dress just barely covering her, she lifted Serenity's chin with an icy finger. This vampire, unlike Yami and Bakura who seemed to be different from most other vampires, was as cold as a corpse.

"I've waited all day to gaze upon the one who commands such irresistible attention." Akane spoke quietly. "While I'll admit Yami is no ordinary creature I haven't ever known a red-blooded man to pay no attention to two gorgeous women tearing away the other's clothes before him. But after seeing you like this," she paused to pass her chocolate eyes over Serenity's scantily clad form, "I'm beginning to understand the unwavering fascination." The fairy pursed her lips.

"Let me leave here at once!" Serenity ordered as she struggled in vain against the cuffs. The vampire only grinned as she moved her cool finger from her chin to her lips in a silencing manner.

"Your royal status means nothing here, little fairy. In this castle, _I_ am the Queen." Akane spoke smoothly. "So behave and answer my questions like a good girl. There's no man quite like Yami is there? Truly, who other could bring even the mightiest creature to its knees just by looking at it?" Akane purred as Serenity felt her exhausted body go stiff in response to her words. "I can only imagine what sort of lover he is, a man as old as he must have quite the arsenal of talents. So tell me, do you shiver beneath him? Do you writhe in ecstasy when he sinks those beautiful teeth into your skin and sweetly indulges in your rare and divine blood? Tell me, because I'm dying to know what to expect from the both of you." Fire coursed through Serenity's veins at the unbelievable woman's words.

"He's going to _kill_ you." The blonde hissed dangerously as the woman's eyes only lit up in amusement.

"Do you have no respect for magic or fortune telling? Because I assure you I've foreseen quite the opposite," Akane let her fingers drift along the Tauk. "But if you really insist on being so uncooperative I'll just have to find out for myself." Slowly leaning in toward the trapped fairy the vampiress rolled her tongue along the side of Serenity's neck. Reacting violently, the fairy whipped her body away but was helplessly trapped by her chains and the woman's securing weight. The light fled from the Queen's eyes as she felt Akane chuckle against her neck.

"My Moon and Stars," Reiko's voice suddenly sounded. The vampire turned to look up at her with a raised eyebrow. "Perhaps it wouldn't be wise to bite her now. Though I truly believe Yami desires you, he may be upset if he were to find out you tasted her blood without permission." Akane sighed.

"Yes, you are correct my love. I was behaving hastily. After all there's no need to rush. Not when we'll have eternity." The vampiress grinned as she turned back to the captured fairy.

"He's going to be more than upset that you captured me." Serenity choked.

"Oh you misunderstand," Akane grinned, "Nyanko is going to conveniently show up with you in her arms sometime after Yami arrives. You see, you had a rather unfortunate accident and Nyanko saved you."

"I'll tell him the truth." Serenity growled.

"By then it won't matter. He'll be so enamored by me before you even return he may have forgotten about you. I'm tempted to let you see what the Tauk showed me. But it'll only make you jealous and I'm not _that_ cruel." Akane grinned.

"But-" Serenity paused as her eyes widened. Oh Gods. She had no idea. None of them had _any _idea Yami could telepathically read any of their thoughts. And if she said nothing…

They were all completely, and utterly dead.

"Stunned speechless I see," Akane laughed, "I've been around a long time. Surely you didn't think I was that foolish?" Serenity kept her lips closed, feeling morbid at her realization but was completely unwilling to become this woman's slave. "So we're clear on the plan, Nyanko?" The vampire asked without taking her eyes away from Serenity.

"Yes, Madam," The elf bowed her head obediently as she had just returned from disposing of Chuuko's body.

"Though I've feasted on fairy blood for years now I can't help but fantasize about finally tasting the royal vintage," Akane revealed a cruel grin to Serenity's stone-like face. "I'll wait a little longer, but there's just one thing I don't think I can be patient on anymore." Her voice fell quiet as she leaned in toward the fairy's face.

The Queen quickly whipped her head away but Akane's hand forced her to look forward as she forced her cold lips against Serenity's warm ones. The rough kiss sent Serenity screaming internally as she did everything she could to thrust herself away from her but to no avail. When Akane parted her eyes flashed with excitement.

"I can feel the fire burning in you," Akane spoke as she stood and began walking to the room's door; Reiko following just behind her. "I must go await my guest now, but I promise you Serenity, I'll be back to taste all the rest you have to offer." The woman grinned as she stepped outside the door. Reiko paused at the exit and turned to look back at the one of her own kind apologetically.

"I'm sorry Serenity. I hope that one day you'll forgive me." She spoke softly. Serenity's eyes were lacking of any emotion as she could do nothing about the filthy and violated feeling that crawled against her skin.

"I will never." She spoke cold and quietly, and the fairy finally took her leave. Serenity flinched when a white cloth was stuffed into her mouth and tied behind her head.

"That should keep you quiet," Nyanko sneered. Serenity bit down on the gag angrily as she glared out the darkened window where the very first stars began appearing in the night sky. The woman who lived her life loving, refusing to give into the ways of monsters found herself wallowing in a very black place. She hoped, no prayed, that Yami would kill them all.

* * *

"Akane," Reiko whispered as she walked beside the grinning and languidly traveling vampire. "Are you sure this is going to be alright?"

"Relax my beautiful siren; you saw the Tauk's vision too, did you not?" The brown-eyed woman laughed.

"Yes but-" Reiko paused as Akane suddenly halted her steps. Darting her attention to the second floor balcony, opened with sheer curtains blowing in the breeze her eyes settled upon the form of a man who leaned relaxingly against the half wall. Donning all black clothing save a linen white button up under his coat, he lifted his reclined head and gazed toward the pair with glittering blood-red orbs.

"Good evening Akane," Yami greeted in baritone as he strolled toward the outside room's opening. "I hope you don't mind that I let myself in. I do so hate formalities between _friends_." He spoke with a smirk pulled across his face. His eyes briefly darted to the necklace she wore before traveling back to her gaze. Shaking herself from her stupor Akane revealed to him a coy smile.

"Of course not, the illustrious King of Games is always welcome in my home," She spoke in praise. "I wasn't, however, expecting you so early. I assumed you'd be entertaining Serenity for quite some time before we met." Akane spoke feigning ignorance of the fairy's actual location. At this Yami's smirk momentarily evaporated as he studied the other vampire with his hardened red eyes, but suddenly, his half-smile returned while regarding the woman with a tilt of his head.

"I was actually hoping you and I could have a more _private _conversation." The eldest vampire spoke richly and Akane shivered.

"Yes of course," she grinned, "right this way," she sounded as the three traveled to the second floor's receiving room that was as pristinely decorated as the first floor's equivalent. Reiko sat elegantly upon one of the sofas as Yami collapsed into the one across from her. "There is just one tiny matter I have to take care of first if you wouldn't mind waiting a few moments?" The Lady of the household asked politely, still standing by the door.

"It'd be no trouble at all," he spoke, still smirking as he lounged upon the couch. Turning to leave, Akane paused.

"And Yami," she said turning slightly around. "If you become bored waiting for me feel free to sample Reiko. I assure you she's quite delicious." The vampiress invited with a grin. Reiko immediately stiffened from where she sat, but immediately plastered on a fake polite smile.

"That's very kind of you, Akane," Yami rolled, "however unless my memory has lost me I believe you said that Reiko was yours?" He asked.

"Oh Yami," Akane spoke quietly, "Whatever is mine, consider it also yours. As I'm sure you've realized; I awarded you my heart and all of its sentiment long ago." She spoke, seeming to relish in the words as she turned and exited the room. After she left, shutting the door behind her, Yami turned his amused gaze upon Reiko who shifted in her seat. The color fled from the blue haired fairy's face when the vampire she had been left alone with narrowed his eyes and pulled his upper lip into a venomous snarl.

* * *

Lady Karasuma was practically humming as her fingers touched the railing of the stairwell, but she flinched when another tanned hand fell upon hers.

"Akane," a voice whispered gutturally into her ear. Turning to look into the other vampire's face, Yami smiled crookedly toward the woman. His red eyes beamed upon her as a flustered gasp escaped her lips. "I'm afraid I can't help but be a bit impatient. Could we have this little conversation _now_?" His sexy voice transformed into commanding at his urgent question. Akane could only nod as he gripped onto her hand and she led him into the nearest private room, a small quarters with sole other than a few chairs and a desk by the window. As soon as the door shut behind them Yami's arms flew around the other's waist and pulled the back of her smaller body against him.

"Y-yami," Akane stuttered as she shuttered against his powerful form.

"All day long I couldn't stop thinking about how absolutely lovely you are, Akane." He whispered into her ear. "How haven't I noticed this before?"

"I don't know," The vampiress breathed as she let her hands fall against his where he embraced her from behind. "But I've wanted you like this for _so long_." Leaning his chin down to rest upon her shoulder he hummed pleasantly.

"I noticed you're wearing the Tauk. You've been quite the naughty vampire as I warned you not to touch it," he pointed out in a sing-song tone.

"I couldn't help myself, my love. I longed to see the future. I hoped and prayed it would include you." With a soft chuckle, Yami let his mouth drift back to her ear.

"What did you see?" He asked so quietly that his voice barely rang at all.

"I saw this," she sighed as he pressed his cheek against hers.

"Oh?" Yami breathed quietly, "And what happens next?" At this Akane's eyes glossed over with confusion just before she let loose a bloodcurdling scream. Red streams trickled from her mouth as she attempted to move away from him but couldn't as he locked one arm around her waist and buried his other into the flesh of her back. Yami's red eyes glowed ferociously as he growled into the screaming woman's ear.

"Isn't love such a beautiful thing?" The vampire hissed pushing his hand deeper into her chest cavity. "You've given me your heart and I fully intend on taking it!" He roared. She struggled against him but was no match for the older being's strength.

"Don't do this! I didn't harm her, I swear! She's upstairs in the atrium completely unharmed!" Akane wailed, pained tears flying down her face as the source of life poured from her back. "Reiko!" She screeched.

"I'm afraid she won't be able to come help your predicament," Yami spoke blackly. Akane's eyes widened in further horror.

"Where is she!" She demanded in a scream. A cruel smile played across the red-eyed man's face.

"Which part?" He asked callously. Akane moved her body violently with a cry, but crumpled against his supporting arm now feeling excruciating pain as his fist tightened around her heart. "I'd spend all day and night destroying you; all year if I had the time to torture you with everything I could think of for even _touching _her. But I have _much_ more important things on my mind than wasting a minute longer than necessary _with you_."

"Please, don't do this!" Akane cried, and howled as he gripped harder.

"So I guess this will have to suffice," he sighed while rumbling into her ear, "this and informing you just how trivial you truly are." Yami displayed no emotion to her sobs as he loomed behind her. "If I wasn't so absolutely furious about what you've done I may have laughed. The idea that you even considered that you had any redeemable quality to sway me from that _Goddess _you thought it wise to steal from me is unbelievably absurd. And thinking I would _share _her with you..." he shook his head as he seemed to be unable to articulate the words in his fury.

"Oh Akane, honestly, I am nothing but revolted by you. I haven't even the smallest desire to drink your blood as it is more suitable being wasted on the floor. And that little prize you called a fairy, she really didn't even taste that good after I tore out her throat, quite a pity actually since you held her in such high regard." The life fled from Akane's eyes as her struggling lessened. "I think I'm doing the world a favor by ridding it of you. A vampire your age should know good and well it isn't wise to _fuck _with me." Yami's murderous eyes flashed as he bared his vicious fangs. "So as you pass on into the next life, keep this in mind: You. Are. _Nothing _compared to her."

The door creaked open behind him just as he crushed her beating organ in his fist and let the old vampire's body crumble to the floor. Mai's gaze widened as she looked upon Akane's lifeless form. Not yet acknowledging the blonde, Yami leaned down and undid the Tauk's clasp. Stuffing the mystical item into a box he spied sitting on the desk; he turned and placed it into the stunned woman's hands. Peeling his blood soak jacket off of his arms, Yami wiped his hands appearing clean from his deed other than a few splatters of blood that soaked the front of his white shirt.

"Keep the Tauk with you and don't touch it," Yami ordered as Mai turned her confounded amethyst eyes to him. "I realize she was someone you admired but-"

"She was a fool," The vampiress spoke coldly, "She has Serenity here, doesn't she?"

"Upstairs. I'm going to retrieve her now." Yami explained as he paused in the doorway. "If you drink the remainder of her blood you will gain a hundred years worth of power. Blood as old as hers is an opportunity you shouldn't pass up on."

"Yes, Master." Mai responded as she narrowed her eyes upon the person she once considered a mentor.

* * *

The noise of rapid feet traveling up the steps jarred both Serenity and Nyanko from their silence.

"That must be Akane!" The elf grinned as she practically skipped to the room's exit and out of the other's sight. It would be an understatement to say the fairy wasn't at all surprised when she heard Nyanko's pained squeal and the sound of a body hitting the ground in the stairwell almost immediately after the door had opened.

As soon as she heard the hurried footsteps, the tethered fairy mustered forth her most resolved expression. She would accept no tongue lashings on any matter concerning her over -trusting disposition or listen to any lecture demanding she take greater caution with her own safety. But just as Serenity's defiant eyes fell upon the man who rushed in front of her; her bold visage tumbled in an avalanche of emotions. Fully expecting to gaze into the red eyes of a furious vampire, the breath fell dead in her lungs when she caught sight of Yami's tormented appearance.

"Serenity!" He almost choked as he immediately fell to his knees before her.

With haste Yami pried open the offending iron shackles easily but was careful to avoid the outside of the lined cuffs coming in contact with the Royal's skin. Serenity's raised arms fell to her lap in exhaustion as she felt tears well at the bottom of her eyes upon watching the vampire fawn over her in alarm. Casting the broken handcuffs aside he removed the gag at her mouth with a gentle flick of his fingers at the back of her head. As the bitten white cloth fluttered to the ground, Serenity wet her dried lips while looking at her blood consuming hero in awe. Franticly he lifted her once bound wrists, searching for any injuries and darted his eyes over her seated figure in a fast assessment. He was seemingly unaffected by the considerably provocative clothing the horrid elf had dressed her in. Refocusing his attention he looked down into her gaze from where he kneeled over her.

Serenity's bottom lip quivered upon looking into his crimson depths. The man who had never before exhibited even a shred of fear stared at her with absolute terror shining in his eyes. There was no anger, blood lust or promise of vengeance. Only his unyielding concern was apparent within his deep frown. The Queen lost sight of her crumbling tough resolve as the beginnings of moisture trickled down her face. Yami settled his hand upon her cheek, allowing the hot tears to land on his finger as his red orbs widened further in horror.

"What's wrong?" His gruff voice demanded. "Are you hurt? What did they do?" The blonde responded with only a muted sob and moving her back from the wall she fell into him; wrapping her tired arms around him in a tight embrace. Hesitating at first toward the woman's movement, the powerful creature took the petite fairy into his accepting arms. Serenity stained the front of his thin white shirt, already marred by blood, with her tears letting her overwhelmed emotions out with them. She gripped onto the back of his clothing harder when she felt his fingers intertwine within her free flowing and flaxen hair.

"What did they do to you?" Yami growled, revealing the first indication of anger. "I'll burn this whole city to the-" the vampire's words were abruptly halted by another pair of pink and needy lips.

Serenity met Yami's mouth with urgency just as her last and fleeting rational thought evaporated from her mind. After being stolen, taunted, violated and tied up against iron for hours the Queen could care less about responsibilities and consequences. The only truth that ebbed within her was that she needed the man who haunted her dreams and nightmares for the past millennia, and she needed him _now_.

Parting her lips she reached forward with her porcelain whites and bit down gently upon the lower lip of the vampire that was stunned frozen by her surprising maneuver. But that little nip was all the permission he needed and it wasn't but within moments that Serenity was on her back with strong hands cradling her head and shoulder blades. A low rumble escaped the man above her just before he slid his feverish tongue across the satiny skin of her lips, practically begging for entry into her warm mouth. Allowing her lips to tremble open, Yami eagerly advanced to claim her yielding with his torrid and dancing tongue. She felt his arms shake beneath her and he groaned from his throat, as if her deepened kiss was the most delicious thing he had ever tasted.

Serenity twirled her tongue along with his, disobediently fighting against the resistance of him directing the appendage within the safety of her own mouth and away from the dangerously sharp teeth within his. Reaching under the thin fabric covering his back, she ran her nails gently over the taut muscles, that were poised like snakes ready to go for the kill. The small fairy involuntarily shuttered beneath the pleasant feeling at her fingers and mouth, which only excited the captivating vampire more as he became more aggressive with his kiss and ground his hips into hers against the marble floor. The beautiful fairy felt dizzy as Yami's larger and marvelous body completely enveloped her in warmth and a passion so fiery that she could feel it in his attacking tongue. Serenity saw only fuzzy stars and gasped for precious air when the sultry man finally parted with her now red and swollen lips.

"S-Serenity," he mumbled her name as his glowing red orbs passed over her.

Catching his devious ruby eyes only briefly, a stunning jolt raced down her spine when he nuzzled the side of her neck and greeted it with a slow and scorching lick. An animalistic growl sounded from the alluring creature, clearly pleased with the effect he elicited from her when she released a soft mewl upon the contact. Serenity's heart roared against her ribcage at the fanged man's precarious position. She squeaked and squirmed beneath his weight upon feeling the flat fronts of his hot and wet teeth against the sensitive skin of her neck as the blood went rushing past with each and every pulse. His hand moved from her back and slowly he let his talented fingers travel under the translucent fabric that covered her midsection, leaving goose bumps with every touch as he brushed them along her side, stopping to grab a hold of her hip.

There was a certain degree of danger that went along with allowing oneself to be so intimately close with a vampire. Even to one who had sworn to protect you from harm at all costs. Yet, the quaking fairy couldn't help but wonder if such promises applied to safeguarding her against he himself. Yami would be free to do as he pleased as she was trapped beneath his superior strength. If he chose to sink those ungodly whetted fangs into her neck and devour her delectable blood he could do so and even though the thought was terrifying, the exciting possibility of what was unknown left her pale skin shuttering in ecstasy. She felt his bared grin widen against her throbbing neck as she feverishly intercalated her fingers within his thick and wild spikes of hair, earning a pleased purr upon running her nails along his scalp.

Without warning he moved his hand away from her golden locks and steadied it supporting his weight on the ground. Lifting his head away from her neck he arched a suggestive brow and flashed a lion-like smile as he pushed up the thin veil covering her abdomen. At the pause, clear thoughts began reentering her dazed mind and just as she considered that perhaps this wasn't the greatest idea, he dipped his head down to her slender midsection and she gasped upon the sensory overload his sizzling kiss left against her skin. The small fairy's back arched and he chuckled darkly against her toned stomach, commanding her jerking hips to remain on the floor with his restraining hand. Lavishing the supple flesh before him with butterfly light strokes of his mouth he came to the hem of her filmy harem pants and savagely seized it with his teeth. Flashing her a glance saturated with pleasurable promises a loud sound from the back of the room shook both parties from their stupor.

"Hey! Is Serenity al-" Jou's voice rang and paused as he stormed into the room and spied his sibling and her vampire companion in quite the compromising position. "Uh…" Glaring furiously towards the blushing Serenity, Yami released his mouthful of fabric and steadily came upright on his knees to crane his neck back toward the Fae Prince.

"I think everything is under control here." He spoke simply as the hazel eyed man laughed nervously.

"O-ok!" Jou laughed as he backed up toward the doorway, "See you downstairs!" he announced as he bolted outside the door. Serenity immediately sat up but fell back to lean on her hands as the red eyed man loomed his face over hers and quickly wet his lips.

"We'll finish this, _conversation_, later," Yami rolled, inches away from her nose. With the heat of the moment now gone, Serenity let loose a slow and steadying breath. Familiarity returned as she looked into the sexy yet emotion lacking vampire she knew better than was good for her.

"I think we've said all that should be said." She spoke finitely. If the vampire didn't appreciate that answer he masked it perfectly with an arrogant smirk. Hovering over her, he grabbed her hands and brought the petite fairy to her feet as he stood. She went crashing into his chest on wobbly legs and the vampire amusedly dropped his mouth to her ear.

"Nothing could please me more than seeing you safe and unharmed, Serenity" He whispered.

* * *

Disallowing Yami to carry her down the stairs, Serenity braved a tough exterior although her body was considerably drained of energy. She had gathered her things, properly styled her hair, and pulled her own clothing over the harem style outfit. The vampire had seemed somewhat remorseful she hadn't chosen to change in front of him, but if Serenity had done that she somehow doubted she would have been able keep buffet him off of her after that sort of tease. As they traveled down the stairs she could almost feel Yami's dark and glowering glare upon her.

"Care to explain why you were miles away from the inn, _by yourself_ in a goblin infested area?" The man of Egyptian heritage inquired grumpily. Not feeling at all in the mood for a lecture, she scoffed.

"I wanted some fresh air." She cut him short earning an unpleasant growl from the deadly man. Stepping into the hallway, Serenity scanned the area with her eyes and noticed there wasn't much indication of a struggle. Though she hardly thought she needed to confirm, she inwardly wondered if all the household residents were dead.

"The elves have all left," Yami answered the inquiry in her thoughts, "there's just _one _other I hadn't the time to deal with in a manner which I would have liked to." The vampire commented darkly as he pushed open a door before them. In the room Serenity was surprised to see Rei, Jou and Mai waiting in the room. She was further shocked to spy Reiko seated on the floor rocking silently with her arms wrapped around her legs. Her eyes looked completely blank as she stared into nothingness.

"Hey!" Jou piped up as he saw the two enter the room. "That's a bonafide fairy gal there. What's up with her? What's going on?" He asked in complete confusion. At the question the Eye of Horus briefly appeared on Yami's forehead and when it disappeared the blue-haired fairy suddenly awoke from her trance. At the sight of the Vampire King and the Fae Queen Reiko jumped to her feet in an attempt to escape, but was easily stopped as Mai snagged one of her arms and forced her to a kneel on the ground.

"Hey!" Rei protested as she watched one of her own get treated roughly. Serenity's eyes dilated in memory, flashing back on the way her stomach churned as one of her own watched and assisted in her capture. Yami narrowed his eyes on the terrified fairy as he was clearly watching the images roll back in Serenity's head.

"And how do fairies deal with treason on the Moon?" Yami questioned darkly earning the Queen's surprised gaze. "I guess that's up to you to decide, though I'd be more than willing to take care of this for you in my own way." He alluded malevolently; his eyes promising of a painful death.

"Ooh, fun!" Mai flashed her exaggerated incisors down toward the trembling Reiko.

"What?" Jou suddenly inquired as Rei's eyes flew open in shock upon the foreign fairy. "What'd you do to my sister! Fairy or not I'll fucking fry you if you hurt her!" The Fae's prince roared with clenched fists. Looking in horror toward her brother's words, Serenity snapped forward. Falling exhaustively to her knees before Reiko she reached into her satchel and pulled out a small bag and a piece of paper. Thrusting both into her hands, blue eyes met their equals.

"Use the Moon Dust to go to Lucere. If you present the paper to Lady Minako she'll allow you amnesty without any question." Serenity's heart ached as she relinquished Rini's gift to her. "This is your only option, if you stay the vampire behind me is going to do whatever he wants with you no matter what I say." The Queen spoke quietly as Reiko's eyes widened.

"Why are you doing this?" The blue-haired fairy asked in complete confusion.

"Because of something my mother once said to me," Serenity whispered. "You deserve none of this, but if you fight like a monster…you'll eventually become one yourself." And without a second more of argument, the dust carried Reiko away to the safety of the Moon. Mai appeared disappointed as Serenity fell tiredly to her bottom; leaning against the couch behind her as her eyes could barely stay open.

"Sis?" Jou asked as he looked upon his sleepy sibling. Yami immediately leaned down and picked up the Queen, sending the male fairy a look that said 'go away' in a single glance. "Welp, see ya at the inn then, Bunny!" The hazel-eyed blonde said nervously as he grabbed Rei and started dragging her outside the doorway.

"You're just going to leave here with that vampire?" Serenity heard Rei demand angrily as Mai huffed and followed the fairies out of the room. Gazing down upon the energy drained woman, Yami's eyes were swollen with disapproval as he brushed a stray lock of hair away from her face.

"You shouldn't have let her live." The vampire commented dryly. "Letting one traitor get away with treason will ruin the whole bunch." He spoke as he couldn't help but crack a small smile upon the sleepy woman.

"I was more concerned what you would have done to her." Serenity spoke groggily.

"It wouldn't have been very nice," Yami admitted shamelessly. Not having the energy to respond with passion she mustered her most forth her most unpleasant glance.

"How are you able to be so cruel?" She asked quietly. Yami smiled wider and brushed his thumb along her face as he held her against his well muscled torso.

"I'm the cruel one?" The crimson-eyed man asked as he revealed his wicked teeth in a grin. "That term is reserved solely for you in the way you toy with me. Though the Tauk is notorious for revealing only partial information that often conceals the truth…it was absolutely correct in its assessment of my future over a thousand years ago." The sound of Yami's rich and calm voice lulled Serenity, finally, into a peaceful sleep as she was cradled within the vampire's arms. "How was I to know that little girl: covered in dust and spying on her mother would someday defeat me in every way imaginable?"

* * *

THANK YOU THANK YOU to: **Yami Nocturna, Sesshy's Mistress, Serena-hime, SailorVMoon131185, Cosmic-lover, Krissy, RoseMutou2010, Anexya, Selenity, **and **Sakura Waldorf **for taking the time to read and review the last chapter! Your feedback means *so* much to me so here's the next chapter a day earlier than promised XD

Another long chapter, (gah) I'm having a hard time keeping them short…if anyone has any suggestions I'd be willing to hear them because at this point I feel like everything is important. Maybe I'm being too 'descriptive' on things not important to the reader?

Anyway, one comment on the incredibly violent scene between Yami and Akane…I pretty much stole, ok, let's call it 'was heavily inspired' by a scene from Vampire Knight…it kind of captured the 'sensual-ness' of vampires as well as their messed up cruelty so I thought it fit well in this fanfic! So, there's the credit where due.

The spicy scene between Serenity and Yami was the sauciest one I've written yet, so what'd you think? Good? Too little, or too much? ^_~

The names of the past two chapters were rather philosophical: "Battle not with monsters, lest ye become a monster, and if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." Friedrich Nietzsche. That was kind of the theme, as Serenity started spiraling into a kind of dark place but found her way out of it in the end. Though as hinted at, Jou may not follow that same inclination.

Just in case you all are curious…I'm going to make a list of all the characters from each anime I've used/mentioned in this story just as an FYI. I'll update it as the story goes on (there will be more!):

**Sailor Moon:**

Serenity/Bunny (fairy)

Rei (fairy)

Minako (fairy)

Rini (fairy)

Endymion (human)

Hotaru (human)

Seiya (fairy)

Diamond (elf)

Sapphire (human)

Elder Serenity/Selenity (fairy/deceased)

Ami (fairy)

Haruka (fairy)

Michiru (fairy)

Akane (vampire/deceased)

Reiko (fairy)

Nyanko (elf/deceased)

Chuuko (dwarf/deceased)

Melvin (fairy)

Motoki (side-story, human/deceased)

Naru (side-story, human/deceased)

**Yu-gi-oh:**

Yami (vampire)

Jounouchi (fairy)

Mai (vampire)

Seto (werewolf)

Bakura (vampire/deceased?)

Honda (werewolf)

Anzu (werewolf)

Ra (dragon)

Blue Eyes (dragon)

Shimon (human/demon)

Zorc (demon)

Weevil (dwarf/deceased)

Rex (side-story, dwarf/deceased)

Noah (dwarf/deceased)

Espa (dwarf/deceased)

Mokoba (werewolf/deceased)


	12. The Truth in Masquerade

The Ostiary

Kochou-hime

**All characters belong to their respective owners.**

The Truth in Masquerade

"_Try not to worry so much, dearest Serenity," Shimon spoke softly as he placed a comforting hand on the small Queen's shoulder, "She'll be fine. If there's one thing I know to be certain it's that time will eventually heal all wounds. Even in those of us who are destined to live on for a very long time." Focusing her forlorn blue eyes upon the kind man, Serenity forced a cordial smile._

"_Thank you," She answered politely._

"_Take care of yourself. And if there's anything you need, anything at all, feel free to write me or visit. You're a welcome guest at Elpis anytime you wish." With a solemn nod, she watched as Shimon moved slowly back toward the castle gates after offering his farewell. Her crystalline blues immediately fell upon Mina leaning against the gatehouse's wall where the treaty keeper said goodbye to her also. But her cousin failed to respond to him. With her face hidden beneath a long white cloak, the grief-stricken woman looked like a ghost that stood deathly quiet in her loneliness. _

_Serenity wondered if there had ever been a blacker night than this one. The presence of storm clouds stretched across the entire sky; banishing the light of the Moon and stars from smiling down on the Earth. In silent and sparse traveling drops it had begun to gently rain. And for the first time in her life Serenity was thankful for approaching storms, because the skies' gifted tears hid the ones she had created on her own._

"_Yami…" The fairy breathed quietly toward the black clothed figure standing several feet before her. The statuesque vampire steered clear of her gaze, looking toward his right and out into nothingness. Neither regarding nor flinching to the call of his name his cold red eyes seemed detached from the world as he held his jaw stiffly closed._

_She knew he loved her. It was likely she had been the first and only thing that man had ever loved at all. Regardless of this truth he still didn't beg, or even ask for her not to return to the Moon. Though there could have been several reasons for this, she was confident that it was because he knew there would be nothing he could do to change her mind. But her feelings on the subject really had nothing to do with it, regardless of what they truly were._

_Serenity couldn't just change her destiny; there was no magical object that would take away her duty of being the Queen of Lucere. And it wasn't a responsibility she could just dump on her child aged brother. It wouldn't be fair and ultimately only she had been gifted with the power to repair the Moon's artificial atmosphere if an emergency should occur. _

_In some ways, officially taking over her deceased parent's role was more terrifying than facing and finally defeating Zorc had been. Though she would return to the Moon triumphant in having achieved the dangerous feat where her mother had failed, she was terrified. Despite being almost a hundred years of age the majority of the planet's fairies still looked upon her as a child; a child that had most suddenly became their sovereign under incredibly tragic circumstances. Even if she chose to acknowledge the part of her that wished to reside on the warring Earth if for nothing more than to be at Yami's side forever, it would never change reality. Feeling her heart sink as she looked joylessly upon him, she moved to make way toward Mina when a voice halted her steps._

"_A few days before my father passed away with illness thousands of years ago, he told me three things he said would ensure me to be a great and strong pharaoh." Yami's voice rumbled quietly. Turning to look toward him hopefully, Serenity cringed upon catching a glimpse of his careless and unholy crimson orbs._

"_Give thirty percent of your wealth to those you rule. Any less will make you appear like a tyrant, and anymore will make them greedy and hungry for more." His baritone voice rang void of any emotion. Serenity's rain-chilled skin trembled as she regarded him._

"_Trust only those who share your blood or your bed," Yami paused to wet his lips, "and be especially cautious of the latter." Serenity's stomach tumbled as hurt spread across her features at his accusing tone. Though she had hoped he would be at least partially understanding of her situation, it appeared that there would be no room for friendship between what was once a fiery and passionate affair._

"_And finally," He spoke icily, "if a subordinate should ever suggest he's superior to you…take his head and hang it high for all to see." The vampire finished blackly. Serenity choked back a sob as she looked horrified upon the man who seemed to care not about the cruelty in his words._

"_Yami, I-"She stuttered with a step forward but paused upon seeing his unsympathetic hand thrust up in a lazy goodbye._

"_Farewell, Queen Serenity." He said turning away from her as he disappeared into the shadows of the cold and angry night. Serenity felt her body wrench as a harrowing twinge throbbed at every nerve. While it should have been a blessing that a man known to be so horrifyingly violent disappeared with only a bitter goodbye, the pain it left behind was so agonizing that she momentarily wished he had just killed her._

* * *

Stirring in the midst of unpleasant memories in her dreams, Serenity reached out for the warmth that radiated beside her. The tips of her fingers drifted across a smooth surface that pulsed with comforting heat. A pleasant feeling washed across her as she explored the landscape at her touch. Dipping her fingers into the nooks and crannies of the perfectly sculpted surface she smiled and happily nuzzled her face against the solid warmth. The slumbering fairy released an unconscious sigh as a nostalgic scent filled her nose, but her sleeping bliss was suddenly interrupted upon a slight shift of movement beside her.

Groggily she opened her eyelids and observed the flitting of dim candlelight in her foggy vision. Finally focusing upon the flickering flames across the room she moved her attention to the vibrating warmth at her fingertips and her body stiffened completely. Launching herself backwards in a surge of adrenaline she fell to her elbows upon the enormous and downy bed. Sucking in a heavy breath, she was unable to speak as she stared in astonishment upon the dimly lit form of the man who was impossible to escape, even in her dreams.

Yami appeared wholly relaxed as he reclined lazily against the dark headboard. His concerns appeared to be focused solely on the book he held open against his bent leg, but Serenity knew better the moment she spied the tell-all smirk worn across his attractive face. The vampire's dark shirt was strangely unbuttoned down the center revealing his remarkably solid physique; each and every perfectly sculpted muscle showing its definition from the shadows cast within the room.

"_What_ is going on?"Serenity mustered lowly, her brilliant blues clouding over darkly as she dared not tear her eyes away from the creature.

"Though a thousand years have passed you've remained very much the same, as far as your sleeping habits go, anyway," Yami's rich voice rang in response. Finally turning his eyes away from the page he looked toward her with a suggestive half smile. "Tossing, turning and always craving attention, you were adamant for skin contact so naturally I couldn't help but oblige." He answered masterfully to his state of undress. Serenity's cheeks turned crimson as she glowered toward the unbelievable yet smooth talking man.

"Is something wrong, Serenity?" The vampire asked in feigned ignorance, "Am I not supposed to do what you will of me? If that's the case then I am quite confused on how I should _behave_…" He trailed lifting an amused brow. Coming completely out of her disoriented state she grit her teeth and sat up to her knees.

"Shut up! You know exactly what you're doing!" The fairy accused, doing her best to thwart any sly attempts on seducing her. Yami merely chuckled softly and shamelessly let his eyes pass over her straightened figure. Drifting her eyes downward she was horrified to discover she wore nothing but the harem girl outfit the late and dreadful Nyanko had dressed her in while she was held captive. Laughing again at her furious yet mortified expression, he leaned to gently place his book on the floor.

"I made my best attempt to make you comfortable. I thought you may be upset to wake up wearing that attire, _but_." He paused as he smirked wickedly toward her. "Anymore removal of clothing would require your permission, first." Serenity felt her throat run dry upon his tempting suggestion. Not a moment after she locked her curious gaze with his intensely focused orbs, the blonde's back connected with the cool surface of the yielding bed. Arms pinned at her sides, Yami overwhelmed her small form hovering inches above her as he breathed a yearning sigh.

"This is the part where you give me your permission," Yami rumbled where he settled his mouth precariously close to her own. "And I promise to _rip __to __shreds_ any lingering unpleasant memories from yesterday."

Serenity's heartbeat quickened. His metaphorical terminology hadn't been lost in her dizzied brain as she wrenched breath into her heaving chest. The fairy's fury was challenged by how much she truly did wish to forget everything that made their association a passionate yet stormy one at best. But those serious and soul devouring eyes, as red as the blood he harvested from his unfortunate foes, were a vivid reminder of how ugly their inevitable parting would once again be.

"Why even bother asking permission when you'll just do what you want either way?" Serenity spat fearlessly. "You've seemed to forgotten the arrangement you made with me for accompanying you to pay a visit to your _dear__ old __friend_." She spoke scathingly of her now very deceased kidnapper. The pinned fairy could only narrow her eyes when a triumphant smirk spread across the stronger man's lips.

"I believe I promised to leave you be until we were in Atra, correct?" Yami quietly restated. "Where do you think we are, little fairy?" He asked with a glinting smile. Making a brief assessment of the dimly lit room she realized for the first time this area was hardly the place she had been sleeping at the inn. Though spacious, the luxury suite was windowless making it the perfect hideaway for a vampire during the daytime hours. Her insides lurched upon understanding she was trapped in the bedroom with the nocturnal creature until sunset.

"The human's relative will be hosting his engagement party tonight," Yami rolled, not bothering to refer to Endymion with any sort of title. "I brought you here while you slept. The mutts should arrive sometime before sunset; the others are here as well." The vampire explained, still relentlessly eyeing her tiny figure trapped below him. Half expecting her former lover to continue his seductive mission, she was surprised when his burning red irises melted upon her. The change in his gaze sparked a different emotion within her as she felt the base of her eyes well with heart-stricken moisture.

"Are you not yet weary of this façade, Serenity?" Yami asked softly, gazing into the depths of her wide and endless blues. "As much as I enjoy a worthy challenge, I tire of playing _this _game with you."

"There is no game," Serenity said choking back a sob. His angled face became blurry as a few tears traveled down her cheeks.

"Really?" He inquired bitterly, "I've seen into the depths of your mind, Serenity, true feelings and desires are impossible to hide." Yami continued, his tone vibrating in frustration. "So explain to me why you continue to pretend this isn't what you want? Why do you _lie_?"

"It doesn't matter what I _feel_," Serenity strangled forth her words as she fought against his unyielding iron-like grip on her wrists "My dreams, fantasies really since this has always been impossible, are irrelevant! You can't change what you are and because of that you can _never _live in my world. And _because _of creatures like _you_," she spoke angrily through clenched teeth, "I'll never be able to reside in yours. So stop this, because in the end it'll just be even more painful than it was before." Her voice fell weakly as a long silence followed her emotional confession. She felt the pressure released from her wrists and let loose a slow breath when his warm fingers wiped the tears away from her face. In her cleared vision she was surprised to see a wide smile stretched across his features.

"Get some sleep Serenity," he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper, "I have a feeling tomorrow evening will be more of a challenge than it seems." And in the blink of an eye he was standing at the bedside, having retrieved his book he fluidly settled into the upholstered chair behind the candlelit desk.

Serenity lie in shock as she turned to face where he lounged before the book, now reopened upon the wooden surface. Now she was thoroughly confused. This is what she had wanted, right? He to give up on what was inevitably destined to fail, yet there was a part of her that was surprised, even perhaps a little disappointed, that he had given up so easily.

"It was always my understanding that it was the elves," Yami spoke up suddenly, smirking as he turned his gaze to meet the fairy's. "They were the ones who were the straw to break the camel's back and send their distant relatives packing for a different planet."

"You know what I meant." Serenity responded quietly, earning an ever widening smirk from the mysterious man. "So, we're clear then? You agree on what I explained?" She attempted to confirm. But Yami merely chuckled as his eyes seemed to contain a foreign glint in the fire-lit room.

"You've told me all I need to know. Consider the rest of this day a temporary truce, your majesty; a small reprieve considering your exhaustion. But know, before this is little venture is through you will eventually surrender to me as you are and will forever be _mine_." He explained, his voice resonating pleasantly despite his irking promise. "Because if changing the world is the only thing that needs to be done to fit your royal needs…then that'll be _easy_." He finished confidently.

Though she wanted to argue, the fatigue from the trials over the past few days weighed heavily on her tiny form. With half lidded eyes as she lie upon the sateen sheets she stared toward his tireless and flawless form reclined before the palely glowing desk.

"What are you reading?" She asked entrancingly as the compelling lull of sleep drifted into her mind. Yami released a deep throated chuckle as his crimson colored orbs passed over her slender and now slumbering form.

"I haven't the slightest idea," he admitted to the unconscious woman. "I can concentrate on nothing else when you're haunting my every thought."

* * *

Serenity had awoken sometime after the sun had set to a room that had been vacated by a certain incredibly alluring yet equally deadly vampire. To her surprise, someone had left her a ballroom style dress nestled in an empty chair toward the front of the room. The garment was vivid red in color accompanied with a note and a jewel encrusted black eye mask set atop of it.

_Plans __have__ changed.__ It__ looks __like __we__'__ll __all__ be __involved __in__ the__ festivities. __And __if __you__'__re __confused__ by__ the __mask, __my __husband__ to __be__'__s __engagement __ball __is__ a __masquerade._

_We'll meet in the foyer,_

_Mai_

After doing as instructed, though the whole exchange seemed peculiar, Serenity wandered the huge and silent manor in search for its entrance. The Queen typically wore only neutral colors on the Moon, brilliant whites and sateen pastels were perfectly appropriate for the royal caliber. A dress such as this would have never been found in her closet.

There was something about the color red that screamed scandal. The bright and eye catching color was shocking to the eyes, and sent a message of daringness from the wearer. The slightly sheened gown was floor length and figure hugging, with the exception of a wider train that flowed outward from the back. It was fitted strapless at her bust, but a collar of fabric was bunched high around her shoulders leaving a good portion of her back revealed. Though she had little tools for styling, she had managed to add curl to her long streamers of pig-tailed hair that sat gracefully alongside where her blue eyes looked out beyond a costume mask.

The moment she spotted Mai smirking toward her in the foyer, she knew immediately the choice of dress hadn't been random. The vampiress was very in tune with the ploys of her elder male counterpart, because honestly, it was quite obvious what was the favorite color of each and every vampire. The violet eyed blonde had chosen to go with bridal appeal. She too wore a floor length gown, strapless and adorned with lace that was a perfect and virgin white.

"I thought you said Queen Serenity and I would be acting tonight as your handmaids?" A sudden voice caught the fairy's attention. Approaching from the opposite hall was Rei, who was dressed considerably different from the two. Wearing black from head to toe, the raven haired woman's frock covered almost every inch of skin to the top of her neck to long sleeves stopping at the end of her wrists.

"Just you," Mai's sultry voice rang as she barely acknowledged the second fairy. "I have to keep up a royal appearance to impress the Duke…but Ra is adamant that we have our eyes open both outside and _inside_ the castle." Though visibly annoyed, Rei was silent as she glared toward the vampiress who fitted a feathered white mask over her eyes.

"Ra is afraid something will go wrong?" Serenity questioned.

"I suppose," Mai spoke dismissively with a sigh, "as if I couldn't handle a pitiful lot of humans, and _noble _ones at that. Most of them could hardly dress themselves let alone stand a chance against my superior strength." Passing her gaze over the petite royal she smirked. "No offense, of course." Fire scorched through Serenity as she was in no mood to put up with _any _vampires' taunting.

"I assure you," Serenity's voice rang coldly as she walked past both Rei and Mai to swing open the door to the manor's main exit. "I am more than capable of taking care of myself."

Reigning in her irritation as she hurriedly stepped into the chilled night air, she was surprised to see her younger sibling standing not far from the entrance. She noticed immediately his casual dress, wearing a typical sport coat which would be inappropriate to wear to a formal affair. Tossing his hazel eyes toward the woman dressed in scarlet, he grinned.

"Heya Bunny! Lookin' sharp, I don't think I've ever seen ya wear a red dress!" Serenity couldn't help but crack a small smile in the presence of her good natured brother.

"And it will probably be the last," she commented with a small sigh. But she went unheard as Jou's eyes zoned out behind her in awe.

"Whoa." He muttered softly to himself. "Wow Mai, you're so gorgeous." The male fairy spoke entrancingly as the vampiress sauntered forth in her sparkling white gown.

"Why thank you, Jou," Mai responded whilst dawning a triumphant smirk. Zipping his attention to the second woman at her side the Prince flinched. Rei stood glaring furiously toward him from within her unflattering and matronly attire. Laughing nervously Jou put on a sheepish grin.

"And you look beautiful too Rei, as always," Jou spoke sincerely as his gaze settled nostalgically on the fairy's angered yet absolutely lovely face.

"Save it!" Rei snapped. Mai's previously good mood quickly evaporated as she glared upon Jou and passed it to the raven haired woman.

"Come along to the carriage _servant_, I had only wanted to be fashionably late to this ball." The tall blonde growled. The fairy stomped her foot and grit her teeth toward the blonde in response.

"I'm only _pretending_ to be your servant, vampire! Try not to get that confused in your tiny brain!" Rei screeched.

Appearing genuinely hurt by Rei's callous response to him, Serenity sighed as she looked at the dirty blonde while trying to ignore the arguing women behind her.

"Will you be escorting us to the festivities tonight?" She asked regaining his attention. "Maybe you can finally put all those dancing lessons you took when you were a kid to good use." The Queen smiled as she tried to lighten the mood.

"Hell no!" Jou grumbled indignantly and crossed his arms. "Honda is gonna take you ladies," he said nodding toward a carriage. Spying Anzu already within the sleek black and horse drawn cart, she observed the male werewolf standing just outside of it.

Donning a formal tuxedo, the tall spiked haired man looked uncomfortable behind his white eye mask. Fiddling with a top hat between his gloved hands he glared toward the blonde vampire as she approached with Rei storming, reluctantly, behind.

"Well, aren't you going to open the carriage door for the lady?" Mai demanded.

"You sure as hell ain't no lady!" Honda roared, "The humans may not know better, but I _know_ you're a blood sucking corpse!" With a screech, Mai ripped open the door, nearly tearing it from its hinges.

"The both of you are complete imbeciles! If you want this to work at all we're all going to have to play our part! Idiots!" Mai bared her fangs as both she and Rei entered the carriage.

"Endymion and Hotaru are going to meet you there," Jou spoke quietly, regaining Serenity's exasperated attention. "I guess Endymion is going to personally introduce Mai to his cousin the Duke. After that I don't see how any other of the human ladies have a shot at gaining his attention." Serenity nodded in agreement. Mai was without question a beautiful woman, even by vampire standards. An unsuspecting human such as they're target would be unable to resist.

"Jou," Serenity spoke up thoughtfully, "If you're not going to the party, what _are_ you going to be doing?"

"Well, Honda and I flipped a coin on who'd have to dress up in the penguin suit. I won so-"

"He'll be with me, keeping an eye on things outside," a baritone voice interrupted. Casting her partially shielded eyes to her left she observed the unmistakable silhouette of the so-called Vampire King strolling toward them. "Along with Seto and Ra, naturally."

The night felt a little colder with the undeniable blackness that followed Yami's arrival. Serenity resisted the urge to shiver as the dark power radiating from the heart-stoppingly gorgeous man commanded that its presence be known as well as feared. Jou shifted his feet uncomfortably when a loud roar from the skies caught the three's attention. Though Serenity could barely see within the pitch black night, she spied the large form of a dragon fly across the light of the waning moon.

"Perhaps you should go check in with Ra. He's been flying the perimeter of the area since sunset." Yami's tone indicated an order rather than a suggestion.

"Uh, right," Jou spoke placing a sheepish hand at the back of his head. "Hey, uh, Serenity?" Jou piped up quickly. "Try to have some fun tonight, ok?" And with a small smile a brief flash of electricity illuminated at his back just before he took off into the darkened sky.

Serenity could feel the vampire's burning gaze upon her before she turned back to look at him. Yami made no effort to conceal his longing stare focused solely on the beautiful fairy who appeared evermore bewitching in cherry red attire. Swallowing hard she averted her eyes from his worshipping red orbs to look casually upon the ground.

"May I inquire as to why this task requires all of our efforts?" She asked, regaining her composure enough to once again catch his eyes. She held her expression steady despite the memories of their encounters from the previous days and nights forcibly flooding through her head.

"True to past experiences, completing the map's tasks is never as simplistic as they may seem," Yami pointed out. "And Seto swears up and down that he's smelled elves in this area, though I have seen no evidence to confirm this." Serenity stiffened at the mention.

"Elves? We're nowhere near the Old Land, why would they be here?" She inquired worriedly and sucked in a surprised breath when the vampire fluidly closed the space between them. Sliding his jacketed arm around her waist she was molded against his solid body that felt fiery against her as they stood in the chilled air. A rumble reverberating from his chest was a resolute reminder of the expiration of any verbal truces guaranteed from him in regards to this little war he had declared on her.

"Yami-" Serenity hissed in protest but paused when she felt his hot fingers tip her chin upward to look at him.

"Red is my absolute most favorite color, how ever did you know?" Yami's low voice vibrated toward her as an amused smirk spread across his mouth.

"Mai picked it out," She responded fearlessly, looking directly into his hypnotizing eyes.

"That wasn't very intelligent on her part, considering her cause that is." The vampire commented earning an eyebrow raise from the shorter blonde. Suddenly, he openly laughed.

"Who am I kidding? If I were the Duke of Atra I'd choose you as my bride no matter what you were wearing or who else was in that room." Yami charmed.

"I don't think Mai is going to have any trouble with attracting the Duke's marriage proposal. I'm more concerned with his heart being broken in the end." Serenity answered, fighting back a blush. With a small chuckle, Yami lowered his hand and settled both of his arms securely around her waist, leaning back so that she could see the entirety of his face.

"Don't worry about any elves lurking outside the castle. I'll personally make sure this little event won't be interrupted." He reassured. "What I'm more concerned with is you being protected from the monsters _inside _the walls."

"I think I can take care of myself amongst humans." Serenity responded indignantly, crossing her arms in attempt to put some distance between them, but to no true avail. Chuckling darkly, Yami pulled her closer breathing hotly near her ear.

"Let make myself clearer then." His voice vibrated. "I will _destroy_ anything attempting to come between you and I, be it stone walls, mountains, other worlds and especially," he paused as a growl formed at the base of his throat, "another creature touching or claiming what belongs to _me_."

Finally releasing his hold from her, he looked into her stunned expression as he casually tucked his hands away in his jacket pockets. Baring his sharp teeth in a sly smile, he quickly winked toward her before turning to walk away.

"Just something to keep in mind," he called back to her, "We can discuss this more _thoroughly_ at the end of this event, if you'd like." And he disappeared into the shadows thankfully before he could see her face attempting to match the color of her dress.

Hurriedly walking to the carriage, she shuffled inside only to see Rei and Mai sitting as far away as possible from the other, preferring to look at the contraption's dark walls. Taking her seat next to Anzu, she sighed upon observing that the werewolf seemed to be equally displeased to attend this event, especially with the present company.

Sitting quietly, the Fae's queen nervously chewed on her fingernails. She had an ominous feeling about the evening that sat in the pit of her stomach like a boulder. Replaying the dangerous creature's blood promising words in her mind, a new sense of fear stabbed her heart. There was, in fact, a very large obstacle keeping them apart and his oath to destroy it is what she feared more than anything else.

* * *

THANK YOU SO MUCH to: **Krissy,**** Sakura ****Waldorf,**** Serena-hime, ****Cosmic-lover,**** Sesshy****'****s ****Mistress,**** RoseMuoto2010,**** A**** fan,**** chibi**** moon ****baby,**** SailorVmoon1311815,**** Cara,**** Dustfinger's**** cheering**** section, ****Aurora,** and **Fire**** Dolphin** for reading and reviewing the last chapter!

So, this took a really long time to update and I'm sorry! To be perfectly honest I've been so super busy and I had a hard time writing this. There's a lot of internal conflict going on within Serenity (as well as external conflict between the characters!) that's been difficult to convey *just* right.

If this chapter seems "short," at least compared to the other chapters, that's because this will essentially be a two part-er. If you can't tell from the tension leading up to this ball there's some drama and action that's going to go down, and some people aren't going to be very happy about it! ;)

I'll continuing working on it and update as soon as I can! (i.e., reviews motivate me to work faster!)

Please let me know what you think…even if you hated it!

Thanks!

~Kochou-hime


	13. The Truth in Masquerade II

The Ostiary

Kochou-hime

**All characters belong to their respective owners.**

The Truth in Masquerade

Before Serenity had even come close to regaining her wits about her, the carriage filled with irritated women had come to a halt. Without a word, they descended the short stairs and filed into the night air one by one with Serenity bringing up the rear.

"You were supposed to help us down the steps," Mai grumbled toward Honda who was only now vacating the driver's area to stand beside the vehicle. "But I suppose it was foolish of me to assume you have even an ounce of manners at all." She sighed just as she revealed an ivory silk fan and waved it before her face. Muttering something obscene under his breath, the werewolf walked alongside the four women as they made way to the guarded entrance.

To Serenity's surprise, the guards made no effort to question their party even though not a single one of them had been officially invited to the Duke's engagement soiree. It was likely all surrounding nobility had warranted an invitation, and judging by the ball crashers' arrival and attire they were poised to play the part. As they passed through the enormous castle's gates, the sapphire eyed fairy noticed Honda shifting uncomfortably in his suit.

"What kind of mook holds a masquerade for his engagement party?" Honda grumbled aloud upon meeting the Queen's eyes. "You'd think he'd want to see what his future wife would look like at least."

"Perhaps the Duke is looking for someone with a spectacular personality and soul and doesn't want looks to influence his decision," Serenity spoke with a plastered on smile, not even she believed the words that came from her lips.

"Or he just wants to appear that way. A little eye mask isn't going to cover up what a man is truly interested in." Mai spoke up as she placed a sultry hand along her narrow waist in gesture. "Don't worry about it, once he gets a good look at me this task is in the bag. What you all need to do is just make sure everything goes off without a hitch. You know, we need to make sure no one murders the weakling. It'd be awful hard for him to present me with the diamond if he's _dead_." Just as Anzu openly rolled her eyes the group arrived before the ballroom that was crowded with people in elegant dress.

"Look, I have to go secure the carriage," Honda spoke up suddenly. Mai chose to promptly ignore him, interlocking arms with the unwilling Rei and practically dragging her into the crowd. Growling at the vampire's back, he turned his attention fully to Anzu and Serenity. "I'll be back but keep your eyes open for anyone trying to sabotage this thing. Other than us, I guess."

"Honda!" Serenity called toward his retreating back causing the man to turn around. "Thank you for escorting us. Try not to look so uncomfortable, the tuxedo looks nice!" She spoke in forced cheerfulness.

"Uh, no problem," The werewolf said with an embarrassed blush. "And thanks!" He called out right before quickly moving to the castle's exit.

Just as he hurriedly approached the abandoned horse-drawn cart, a sudden noise made him jump into a defensive stance.

"Honda," a gruff voice rolled as a tall figure walked out from the shadow's alongside the stone building's walls. "If I could have a word," Seto spoke lowly as he approached.

* * *

Serenity's concealed blue eyes were widened in wonder as she walked elegantly in her elevated heeled shoes into the palace's spectacular ballroom. Thousands of candles, maybe more, set the room afire in a brilliant glow. Splashes of color entranced her gaze as she looked upon all the women wearing different colored fabrics as they spun gracefully on the floor with dancing partners.

'_At least I won't draw any unnecessary attention to myself in this dress_," The fairy thought optimistically.

Unlike the noble ladies, the men were dressed very much the same. Almost identical, actually, at a glance it was hard to tell any one apart from another. Men of all size and stature were dressed in black tuxedo style suits, white masquerade masks and fancy black top hats upon their heads.

Though the gravity of the evening's mission and her apparent inability to handle Yami's stubborn advances weighed heavily upon her, she felt a spark of happiness kindle within as she watched the gleeful humans dance. For a sliver of a moment she felt like she was back on the Moon. Though nowadays balls and celebrations might as well have been unofficial business meetings for the ageless Queen, as a young princess she had enjoyed them with exuberance.

But here, no one knew she was royalty, or anyone of importance for that matter. And since the others had assured her presence there was only a precaution, she could afford to enjoy herself a little, right?

"Here," Anzu's voice startled the blonde from her thoughts as a crystal stemmed glass was thrust into her vision. "We might as well fit in." The tall brunette shrugged. Serenity accepted the champagne flute delicately with a smile.

"Thanks," she responded, "but I guess we shouldn't enjoy too much of this if we're supposed to be keeping our eye out for trouble," the fairy commented as she brought the glass to her mouth. The alcoholic beverage tingled her lips and was delightfully sweet on her tongue.

"Right," Anzu responded as she too sipped from the glass, followed by a small sigh.

"Is something wrong, Anzu?" The fae's queen asked.

"Oh it's nothing really," the blue eyed werewolf responded. "This mission Seto enlisted Honda and I for: its taking longer than I had expected. I'm starting to really miss my mate and pups." She finished with a light blush.

"P-pups?" Serenity asked in astonishment, "That's- uh, lovely, how many do you have?"

"Only six," Anzu answered with a wide smile. "And every single one of them born healthy, which is pretty rare for a first litter!"

"That's wonderful to hear," Serenity spoke cordially, but at the same time began feeling quite nostalgic at the mention of children.

"How about you?" Anzu asked suddenly just before taking another drink "Do you have any children of your own?" The fairy visibly paled. The sound of her heartbeat became deafening as she focused on the feeling of her nervously dry lips.

"No," Serenity lied somehow more confidently than she felt.

"I see," Anzu nodded solemnly, "Perhaps someday, then!" Taking a gulp from her glass, Serenity attempted to drown the voice screaming in her mind. She was a horrendous liar, and subjects such as this were on dangerous ground where a murderous mind reader lurked in the shadows. Try as she might in that moment, nothing could stop her longing thoughts from drifting to the Moon's small lady; the Queen's young child to whom she missed and worried for terribly.

"Would you look at that," Anzu grumbled. Following the werewolf's line of sight over the sea of people, her blue eyes widened upon spying the angelic appearing Mai commanding a particular man's enthused attention. "The little witch works fast. That must be the Duke, poor fool."

Serenity watched on curiously as the man of the hour, unrecognizable from all the other similarly dressed men donned a huge grin while basking in Mai's company. The Queen held back a laugh when she spied Rei's irritated expression where she stood just beyond them. Her fairy companion was known to be a fireball but she was still in the dark as to why the brunette and the vampiress seemed to have such an antagonistic rivalry with the other.

It suddenly dawned upon her that she hadn't yet seen Endymion or Hotaru. It seemed unlikely the crowned King of the human world could arrive to the event without causing a stir, especially since he had been charged with introducing Mai to his cousin. Something about this whole affair didn't sit right in her gut, and she was bound and determined to figure out what was going on.

"Perhaps we should split up," Serenity suggested aloud to Anzu, "It's difficult to see what's going on staying in one area."

"Good idea," Anzu agreed, "but hey, be careful, alright?"

Walking off alone into the gala, the Queen internally fumed. Would these people ever stop treating her like she was some helpless baby? She was over a thousand years old, and had impressive powers to boot! Though there was the fact she had been attacked by a dwarf, almost tangled up with in an ordeal with Bakura, and kidnapped by some other lunatic vampire, all to be saved by…

Pursing her lips and gripping her hands into fists, Serenity stormed determinedly into the crowd. The fact that Yami had continually come to her rescue was beside the point, it was his fault she had gotten into those messes, anyway!

* * *

"I typically vacation in the Northeast peninsula this time of year, but decided to stay home on a whim. I was quite surprised to receive his majesty's invitation to travel here as his guest for the occasion, isn't that just a spectacular coincidence?" Mai's sultry voice rang, greeting the man to whom she spoke with a closed mouth smile.

"Fascinating," the one named Sapphire spoke as his partially hidden gaze remained reverently upon the stunning blonde. The young and finely dressed Duke was so hypnotized he didn't spare a glance when the woman in white fluidly dumped the contents of her full champagne glass onto the floor at her side.

"Pardon my forward opinion," Mai's voice rolled on air, "but a meeting as chance as this…it must be _fate_." Passing her violet eyes over the envious stares from women loitering around the Duke's area, she turned her attention to him fully and pulled her red lips into a half smile. "I'm not keeping you from anything, am I?" She asked sweetly.

"Heavens, no," the Duke charmed with a grin. Slyly shifting his glance across the beauty's buxom chest, he noticed the empty glass she held before her. "Mai, I see you finished your champagne. Allow me to fetch you another."

"Oh, there's no need," The vampiress laughed airily as she reached out to gently touch the noble's arm. "That's what servants are for. Oh Rei-"

Upon the sound of her name being called, Rei visibly cringed though her back was turned to the flirting pair. Not one to let her discomfort show, the spirited fairy whirled around sending her long raven colored locks to fly freely around her similarly hued yet paltry dress.

"Would you be a dear and retrieve the Lord of Atra and I another glass of champagne?" The vampire voiced in feigned politeness. Just as a snarky reply was about to fly from the fiery fairy's lips, a sharp intake of breath caused both women to flinch. Looking beyond the blonde, Rei's vividly colored and mask-less amethyst orbs locked onto the Duke who looked upon her in amazement, with his jaw slightly ajar.

"This is your…servant? Lady Mai?" Sapphire asked almost breathlessly as he looked upon the woman who may have been dressed in rags, but was still enchanting as a woman who exhibited the natural and exotic beauty of the true fae. Turning briefly back to their target, Mai let loose a fluttering laugh right before turning back to the brunette. Pure anger filled the vampiress' expression as the fire wielding woman ever so slowly revealed a dark and delighted smirk. Closing the space between them, Mai thrust her face close hers.

"Champagne?" She reminded with a low and quiet growl escaping from her throat. Rei's eyes lit up upon the woman's apparent anger.

"What's the matter, Mai?" Rei spoke at a tone only she could hear, "I thought you had this in the bag?" She finished, tilting her head to the side and pushing her bottom lip into a pout. Just before Mai appeared as if she would explode from anger, Rei fluidly plucked the glass away from the vampire and spun around.

"Where are you going?" Mai hissed. Looking over her shoulder with wide and innocently shining eyes, Rei turned to curtsy before her.

"To fetch you and the Lord of Atra some more champagne, my lady." As the fairy stood fully, she brandished the true noble a sweet smile that caused him to visibly blush. With Mai's furious gaze drilling into her back, Rei turned her eyes to one of the room's curtained exits and with a grin she quickly made her way through the crowd and toward it.

* * *

After politely turning down invitations to dance from several enthusiastic men, Serenity wandered through the hordes of fashionably dressed humans observing them in utter curiosity. Shamelessly eavesdropping though she was supposed to be watching out for anything suspicious, she was surprised to learn that many of them had no interest in the event or to whom the Lord of the Black Lands would choose as his bride.

The Moon dwelling Queen had very little experiences with humans, especially ones in a large group such as this, and they were at a glance no different than the fairies she dealt with on a daily basis, at least in this setting, anyway. Chatting within the realms of polite conversation or juicy gossip, the nobles seemed to have little interest in anything but their own well being. Keeping her ears focused for the sound of Endymion's name, she hadn't yet heard any talk of the human's young and well respected king.

Pausing in her steps to admire the dancing couples, she almost laughed aloud upon recognizing that the style of ballroom dance was nearly identical to the ones she had learned on the Moon. Though she had before focused her attention on the sound of chattering voices she noticed for the first time the ambrosial sound of music being played to entertain the attendees.

The chords of the strings, all plucked in perfect unison, created the ideal setting for a slow waltz amongst the cheerful couples, but to Serenity, the haunting softness seemed melancholy. Even within a crowded room, the fairy had once again found herself alone with her unrelenting thoughts. She remembered full and well her true purpose for being within the Earthly realm, as if forgetting the dangers attributed to the most horrible demon to plague the planet was even possible. But even with this acknowledgement she still couldn't shake the heartache that continuously rattled down to her core.

This_ wasn't_ the life she had intended to live. Doomed to forever be a victim of mandatory unrequited love was hardly the desire of any sane woman's dreams.

"Queen Serenity?" The sound of a hushed feminine voice caught her sensitive ears. Forfeiting her empty glass to a waiter as he walked by, Serenity turned her gaze to the right and spied a woman she immediately recognized.

"Hotaru!" She responded as she approached the masked girl who looked lovely in dark violet. "I've been wondering if you were here. Mai mentioned that Endymion was supposed to introduce her to the Duke?"

"He did," Hotaru whispered as she stepped in close, "but he told Lord Sapphire that he didn't want to be recognized. His majesty thought that the commotion of his being here might detract from the plan."

"That's a good point, I didn't think of that," Serenity mused aloud. She smiled to herself as she imagined how the nobles would react if they were to suddenly find out the King they had been most likely gossiping about was walking disguised among them. Her mirth was short lived when an enraged screech just beyond them stole her attention away.

"Rei!" Mai's voice seethed so sharply that those surrounding she and her prey paused to gawk toward the angry woman in white.

Fanning a silken fan before her black masked eyes, the raven haired fairy had returned dressed entirely different than she had been earlier in the evening. Her once widow-esque dress had been transformed into an elegant gown that was knee length and billowy until the fabric met snugly around her narrow waist and bodice. Its new neckline was décolleté in style, revealing far more of the ageless woman's pristine white skin than had been before granted. At the back of her head was a wide bow with equally black streamers of ribbons trailing downward. Regarding the vampire's furious expression, she merely laughed.

"Have you lost track of your servant girl yet again? You were always terrible at keeping track of such things," the fire wielder responded. Turning her attention to Sapphire she revealed to him a gleaming smile. "Now Mai, how could you forget to introduce your favorite cousin to the host of such a grand affair?"

Serenity's eyes widened in horror as she watched her newly disguised companion curtsy and introduce herself to the owner of the Idol's Eye right in front of the fuming Mai.

"Oh no," She voiced aloud as she helplessly watched their plan to solve the map's task shatter like broken glass. Moving beyond the equally astounded Hotaru with the intention of somehow getting Rei out of there, her movement was halted by a white gloved hand that fell gently upon her bare shoulder.

"My fair lady, may I have this dance?" A wellborn and masculine voice inquired with the utmost politeness. Turning with an apologetic smile and prepared to decline, her smile faded as she recognized a familiar smile upon the tall, masked man.

"E-Endymion?"

* * *

With a brief electrical flash, Prince Jounouchi's birth bestowed wings disappeared as his shoes touched softly down upon one of the Castle's incredibly high ledges. Pulling his jacket around himself in the cold night air, foggy breath escaped his lips as he looked toward the enigmatic vampire who leaned against the stone; completely at home in chilly shadows. His face was mostly hidden beneath the high collar of his coat as he tilted his head downward with closed eyes and crossed arms.

"What did Ra say?" Yami's baritone voice suddenly inquired, causing the younger male to jump slightly.

"He's really worried about elves lurking in the area and he wanted to make sure I let you know this." Jou responded, finally earning the other's hauntingly red-eyed gaze.

"There's no use worrying about it. If there are any elves in the area there are too few of them to cause even a slight problem." The vampire affirmed. Jou laughed nervously as he rubbed the back of his dirty blonde hair.

"Well, you know what they say, it only takes one guy and a little too much to drink to crash a party!" The prince pointed out with a goofy chuckle.

"And it only takes me a moment to completely eviscerate as many as ten elven men." Yami responded less humorously. The fairy completely blanched and gulped as the vampire arched his brow in question. Suddenly he grinned, showing his predator worthy teeth as he released a good natured chuckle.

"You should really grow a thicker skin, Jounouchi," Yami laughed, "Surviving on Earth and trekking to forbidden lands is hardly for the faint of heart."

"Yeah, you're right. I'm workin' on it." Jou reassured as he joined the vampire in leaning against the great castle's wall. Still wearing a smirk on his well structured face, Yami turned his eyes out toward the ever rising Moon.

"You remind me of your sister in many ways," He commented, earning Jou's curious gaze. "But the difference in your attitude toward adapting to this environment is completely different, which is quite useful, because it would be wise to accept now that you will soon be forced to abandon you're instilled beliefs in order to help protect her."

"I'll be ready the next time any jerk-offs come looking for a fight," The fairy spoke confidently, but suddenly he sighed as he looked down to his hands. "But I can see now why this world really ain't a place for us fae, especially her." Upon his words, Yami quickly turned his attention upon him and narrowed his crimson eyes.

"Why?" The vampire snapped, causing the Prince to hiccup.

"Well, you know," he spoke, appearing to hyperventilate under the man's accusing gaze. "All the bad guys running around and the violence. It's not that it just isn't safe but that kind of stuff _really _upsets her. She used to cry when I'd come home with bruises from fightin' with the other punks around. It wasn't anything serious ya know; she really would over react about it we were just kids messin' around." Yami's expression further soured at the mention of the blonde beauty's tears. The Prince bristled.

"Well I don't do it anymore! Jeesh," he sighed. "And you know, she's stressed enough as it is with running the whole Kingdom by herself. I try to help with whatever I can but she's just so stubborn about it; refusing to let anyone but herself carry any sort of burden on her shoulders. I don't think she could handle it all, because on top of that there'd be all these assholes running around trying to take over the Kingdom, kill people and cause trouble. And not to even mention she's absolutely insistent that she spends a great deal of her time properly caring for Rini-" Jou suddenly inhaled sharply as he halted his words that had quickly become dangerously superfluous. Yami tilted his head to one side curiously.

"And who is this, _Rini_?" The vampire asked specifically repeating the name he had heard. The other male's hazel eyes widened as beads of sweat began forming on his brow.

"She's uh," Jou paused as he fumbled his hands, "she's my daughter; the Princess. And also Bunny's niece." Yami narrowed his eyes suspiciously on the oddly behaving fairy. "It's kinda complicated because well-" Jou paused once more in thought. "She's Rei's daughter and we're kind of going through a tough time right now so Bunny has really stepped in to help be a good example, we're family after all." The Prince continued with his outright lie. "And uh, well I really wasn't supposed to tell any of you about this under her order so if you could just not tell the girls I let it slip that would really be-" The blonde paused to gulp as he looked into the vampire's terrifyingly blood-red eyes. "great." He finished with a squeak. After a long pause Yami crossed his arms while continuing to scrutinize the other man carefully.

"Alright," he let the words roll out slowly as Jou released a heavy sigh of relief. "Do you know when this little _event _is officially supposed to end?"

"Uh, well yeah, Endymion said that the guests are supposed to reveal their identities by midnight when that bell up there above us tolls." Jou responded as he pointed to a large bronze bell a ledge above them. Shifting his hand into his black coat's pocket, Yami revealed a golden timepiece and flipped it open to observe the clock's face.

"Good," Yami said, "Then Mai should have this task wrapped up within the hour."

* * *

Serenity felt dizzy as she spun in flawlessly stepped circles with one hand upon the disguised King's shoulder and the other clasped within his own. Though she had been instructed and was proficient in the art of noble dance the thoughts spiraling within her head sent her into sensory overload. Stealing glances over her shoulder when Endymion's larger body wasn't blocking her view, she watched obsessively as the two women, like night and day dressed in black and white, battled for the affections of the very confused appearing Lord of Atra. This wasn't working, and the current mission was one they couldn't afford to fail.

"You dance more elegantly than I remember," Endymion's voice reigned in Serenity's once distracted attention. Appearing even taller than his normal stature with a high sitting top hat, Endymion was dressed nearly identical to all the other masquerading men attending the gala with the exception of a long black cape at his back that was crimson colored underneath.

"I don't know how," Serenity responded as she looked toward his white mask-concealed eyes, "I rarely dance anymore. The last time I did was when you visited the Moon a few years ago." She explained as the human man showed her a gentle smile.

"I remember it well," He spoke cordially.

It was apparent by his manner and movement that Endymion had been raised in an environment similar to hers. Taught to behave politely and be skilled in all forms of courtier entertainment, the man with hidden blue eyes was truly born of noble blood. Men like Endymion and like Seiya, who was one of her own kind, were the type of gentleman caller her parents would have approved her courting and perhaps one day exchanging eternal vows. And it was somewhat tragic, because try as she might to forget, ignore or cover it up with a new infatuation; her heart continually longed for the man who played by a different set of rules. The sound of the arguing women once again knocked Serenity from her musing and she quickly licked her lips before speaking.

"Endymion, I think there may be-"

"Serenity," The Earthly king interrupted speaking her name in a longing whisper, "There's something I meant to tell you before I left the Moon to return to my kingdom. I never got the chance after-" he paused with a sullen sigh. "After what had happened that night." The petite woman's eyes widened as a simultaneous chill swept across her skin.

"I don't think this is the best time-" Serenity choked back her breath when she felt the gloved fingers of his hand brush lightly against her cheek.

"I don't know what will happen after this night. After our first dangerous encounter on this journey I've been prepared to forfeit my life to protect you if necessary. If I can't tell you my feelings now, I'm afraid I never will." The towering man spoke with a wistful smile. The light fled from the fairy's eyes as she searched for the words to explain to him just how right he was. If this perilous conversation continued he may very well end up dead this very night in a way he hadn't expected.

"I love you, Serenity. More than my words could ever convey," And like a whirlwind the memories that had once been locked away in the darkest corners of her mind were as clear as day.

She recalled the first time she had looked into his deep blue eyes perfectly. They reminded her of the great planet she had once called home and had stared at every night from her lonely bedroom window. Endymion was still the kind man she had met a few years previously; handsome but brave though still too foolishly young to understand what the latter truly required.

The Queen, only older in true age, remembered the way his youthful lips had felt against hers as if they had just kissed only moments ago. Each and every touch from his hands from the solitary night they had spent together had been worshipping, as if she was a priceless treasure he would forever idolize. But despite his being an ideal match, she had then and still felt nothing but the empty chasm within her that burned only for the onewho had created it.

Serenity had long ago let herself be drowned within the darkness. She had been foolish to believe that accepting another man's affections could allow her to forget Yami's outstandingly crimson eyes that would forever be burned into the back of her eyelids. Nightfall hadn't been nearly as terrifying when the vampire had been her lover. Allowing herself to be engulfed within the weaving shadows he commanded was an experience so exciting and euphoric that no other creature could ever hope to compare to the way that clever and powerful man made her feel. Letting Endymion attempt to patch the hollow void in her heart had been a mistake that had gone up in flames resulting in death and human blood to forever stain fae hands.

But Serenity should have known better, because nothing and no one would ever be able to conceal or cover up that which was truly _black_.

"If we make it through this alive," Endymion's voice pierced the fairy's vertiginous retrospection as the two came to a halt in their dance, "I want to make this real and be by your side, loving you until my dying day." A solitary tear drifted down her cheek, as she recognized that despite everything that had already happened, she would never be able to return his tragic passion.

"Endymion!" A desperate voice approached earning Serenity's still bewildered attention. Her pupils dilated as her vision filled with none other but the famed man of the hour.

"Sapphire, how has your evening been? Have chosen a lucky lady yet?" Endymion immediately sprung into kingly action as he casually put distance between he and the still astounded Serenity.

"Perhaps I'm just not as suave as you dear cousin, because around me, women seem to go mad." The man of similar height sighed. Looking beyond where the Duke had appeared, her gut wrenched in horror upon seeing Rei heatedly arguing with Mai. The both of them were so wrapped up with themselves that neither had noticed their target's escape.

"Endymion, though this is a masquerade I'm still offended you didn't introduce me to your date when you arrived."

Turning toward Sapphire once again, she noticed immediately the charming smile he wore across his face as he looked upon her. When the incognito King didn't reply immediately, Serenity watched him from the corner of her eye. How he responded to the other man about the nature of their association at this point was irrelevant because they firstly needed to steer the poor Duke back in Mai's direction to continue with their mission and secondly, well, she had to worry about how she was going to stop her ruthless ex lover from decimating Endymion upon the chance that he could have been eavesdropping on their conversation from the shadows. Though a bit naïve, Endymion was an intelligent man who surely realized the situation at hand, but why he wasn't talking was unnerving. Just before the golden haired beauty was about to speak up herself the sound of the royal's voice kept her lips glued together.

"Like you said, cousin, this is a masquerade," Endymion spoke smoothly as he gestured toward the scarlet dressed woman, "it would have been rude of me to ask the fair lady to reveal herself before midnight though I am very appreciative for the dance." He smiled as he bowed shallowly toward her. Serenity curtsied in response but looked at him in concern. "However, it appears I have accidently revealed your identity to her." He commented casually. Turning her attention immediately back to Sapphire she revealed to him a genuine smile.

"Don't worry," The petite fairy reassured, "you're secret is safe with me!" Shifting her eyes again she noticed that Endymion was gone. Fully moving her gaze her mouth fell agape upon discovering the human King had disappeared, almost as if he too had the power to move through the shadows in the room. She was further shocked to see Sapphire still standing before her looking upon her with a small smile. Feeling absolutely embarrassed about what to do next in this situation after Endymion had abandoned her, she was at a loss for words as crimson tinted her cheeks.

"Thank you malady, you're very kind, but I was wondering if you could do me just one more favor," The man named after a precious gem gently replied. With a polite bow, Serenity's eyes widened as they focused on his outstretched gloved hand. "Would you honor me with a dance?"

* * *

"W-where did he go?" Mai roared as she craned her neck in every direction frantically.

"Wha-what?" Rei stuttered as the blood rushed from her once angry face when she too noticed that Sapphire was nowhere to be seen. Both women froze where they stood as twin pairs of violet eyes fell upon the party's host dancing in a fast waltz with the one and only Queen of the Fae. The pupils of the vampire's eyes constricted as she slowly turned to look toward the antagonistic fairy, her fangs slightly showing with her jaw agape.

"This…_this _is all _your _fault!" The blonde hissed in a low growl. Rei responded with narrowed eyes as she stepped up bravely.

"My fault? You're the one who couldn't keep his attention, even when I was wearing rags!" The brunette raged. The woman's argument produced an unexpected effect, as Mai's face fell and she moved to cross her arms as if the room had suddenly turned into an ice box. "Why does it matter anyway? As long as one of us gets the ring the map will reveal the way. Or is it that you're just too proud to accept that he'd pick anyone else over _you_?" The vampiress shivered as fear overwhelmed her amethyst eyes.

"I realize you've only seen a sample of what my master is capable of, but I fear that if Serenity is offered the proposal then we'll all know more than I'd ever like to," Mai's voice cracked. "I have to stop this," The woman spoke frantically beginning to walk away.

"What are you talking about? Yami?" Rei questioned as the vampiress paused in her steps. "Why would he care if Serenity gets the item? I've really been wondering why a monster like him cares about her well being at all." Mai turned to look at her in utter disbelief.

"If you really have to ask that, you're more unobservant and absolutely foolish than I previously thought." She spoke hatefully before disappearing into the crowd. Gritting her teeth at the insult, Rei suddenly spun around at the sound of a throat clearing behind her.

"Honda?" The fairy questioned. A half smile appeared upon the werewolf in masquerade as he outstretched his hand toward her with an invitation to dance. Accepting the peculiar gesture, Rei lifted her eyes up into the towering man's face as he secured her snugly against him in a slow dance that followed the ever softening music. With a 'humph' Rei's eyes lit a fire.

"Can you believe that bimbo? I never thought I'd hate vampires for any reason other than them being man-killers, but that woman is nothing more than an arrogant wench!" She complained angrily, but Honda, who was surprisingly well coordinated in his steps didn't respond. Rei gasped when in a sudden movement the incredibly tall male dipped her backwards. Hovering dangerously close to her face with his own, he revealed a toothy smile eliciting a hot red blush to fly across the woman's face.

* * *

"I have to admit," The Noble of the Black Lands spoke aloud as he lead he and Serenity in choreographed turns, "I'm absolutely _dying_ to know who you really are, but I'll settle with learning anything else I can about you until its prudent to ask."

"W-what would you like to know?" The fairy nearly choked on her words.

"Where are you from? I think I'd know it if I ever happened upon someone as spectacular as you in the areas surrounding Atra." He questioned.

Though the petite Queen wore a pleasant smile plastered across her face, a barrage of obscenities was flying to and fro within her head. _Where _in the Gods' name were they? Surely Mai would have noticed the Duke had fled by now and yet she was doing absolutely nothing to regain his attentions. And _Endymion_, after all the heartfelt sentiment that man confessed he held for her, he had just abandoned her to deal with this situation alone.

"It's a place called Lucere," Serenity answered, internally screaming at herself within for being such a terrible liar, "It's…a very small country and _very _far North from here." Their conversation continued for several songs worth of dancing, though the fairy in disguise barely registered a word the man had said. Her thoughts rolled from one scenario to the next. Why hadn't the Duke politely ended their dance, and why hadn't her so called _companions_ come to her aid?

As Sapphire's conversing traveled hazily through her ears, the fairy's darting cerulean orbs fell upon a familiar face within the crowd. Mai's icy stare met with hers as the impossibly stunning vampire stood alone like an unmoving statue within the crowd. Giving her a look that begged for help, she was turned away in their dancing and looked back into the royal's face. He had grown quiet as the two continued to move together within the grand hall. The brilliant candles filling the room defied the nature of the man's disguise, as she caught small and vibrant glimpses of worshipping blue when the light caught his mask at just the right angle.

"Lovely Lady of Lucere," His voice rang poetically, "Do you believe in fate?"

"In what way do you mean?" The Moon's Queen asked.

"When I first arrived to the gala this evening, I had viewed it as merely a formality," Sapphire began explaining to the stunned blonde. "I had been so sure as to who I would ask to be my bride, but it was suddenly as if I had been awakened from a false dream." Serenity's guts wrenched upon his words as she weakly held back a frown. She had wanted no part in any of this and was horrified that their meddling was standing in the way of a person's chance at happiness and true love.

"This is going to sound crazy, but I've never felt like this around anyone else before." Sapphire spoke wondrously as Serenity began to feel her face grow very hot.

"You don't even know my name." She blurted out abruptly. But the human didn't appear dissuaded as he continued to dance with the skeptical woman.

"That's what so spectacular!" He exclaimed, "I know next to nothing about you, hell, even the color of your eyes behind that mask remains a fascinating mystery. But I can feel it in my heart. There's this warmth that surrounds you; it feels like the sun shining down on my face. Just having the privilege to dance with you tonight, I've realized it's the happiest I've ever been." Serenity pursed her lips, searching her brain for the words to get out of this mess when the sound of faint ringing filled her sensitive ears. Voices and commotion caught her attention as the rich chiming of bells steadily grew louder. Looking into the crowd she saw laughing and smiling faces as the attendees eagerly removed their disguises.

"I guess I had lost track of the time, midnight came so quickly while I was spending the evening with you." Looking back to Sapphire as he spoke the two had come to a standing halt. He stood before her unmasked with his costume black hat tossed carelessly to floor. The man's brilliant and doting eyes shone perfectly to his namesake beneath equally royal blue strands of short trimmed hair that framed his handsome face. For a moment Serenity thought she was staring in horror upon Endymion as the resemblance between the two was uncanny. The fairy's body became frozen as he gently reached a gloved hand to the black mask covering her eyes.

In those slow seconds she suddenly could see all of them within her quickly darting vision: Endymion's wry smile from where he watched against the wall, Rei standing near Honda just a little farther away from where Anzu and Hotaru looked on in an emotionless gaze. But it was Mai's horrified stare that made Serenity's insides churn upon realization. It was as if she could see it all, like a chain of events that began when she had first awoken that evening. Clearly within her mind she replayed everything that had already happened and surreally everything that was going to. The burden that had been so carelessly dumped upon her now nearly brought angry tears to her eyes.

Slowly, the Lord of Atra pushed the sparkling mask upward into her locks of golden bangs revealing her large and oceanic colored irises to all who were able to see. Serenity's heart began to race when she heard the breath catch in the back of Sapphire's throat as his dark blue chasms widened in awe upon the divine woman standing before him.

* * *

Breath racked Serenity's lungs as she ran hurriedly through an empty hallway that was barely lit save a few fiery torches lining the stone walls. Reaching the castle's vacant gatehouse the chilled night air stung her throat as her furious clicking heels finally came to a halt.

"Serenity!" A masculine voice rang from behind her. The noise of thumping steps filled her ears as Endymion ran up behind her, his red and black cape flowing behind him. Tearing the white mask away from his eyes he gaped upon her when she glared at him with moisture swelled eyes.

"I saw you run away, Sapphire will be looking for you to make his announcement. I'm assuming he-" Endymion paused his words upon shifting a glance to where her left hand was balled at her side, adorned with a spectacular pale blue diamond ring, with a halo of smaller clear diamonds surrounding it. "Yes, good," Endymion spoke once more followed by a deep sigh.

A sudden '_whap_' echoed throughout the hollow building as the tiny Queen's hand connected forcibly against the much taller man. Though dumbfounded at first, an angry sneer flew across the young King's expression.

"What were you thinking putting me in this position? You know how I felt about this horrible task! It was bad enough having Mai do this, but-" Serenity's anger dissipated into a choked sob as she once again recalled the duped man's happily lit up eyes when she accepted his proposal.

"Do you think I'm enjoying any of this? Manipulating my cousin into falling for the woman I love is hardly something I find amusing," Endymion hissed as he cupped the side of his red stung face. "We were running out of time and I knew the moment he was introduced to- I _knew _he would choose you, because who _wouldn't_?" He practically growled. Before Serenity could further articulate her fury Rei and Mai entered the gatehouse from the same hallway.

"Queen Serenity! Are you alright? Do you have the item?" Rei asked and balked when the blonde's stormy blue eyes clouded upon her. Mai quickly snapped into action, shoving Endymion helplessly to the ground as she stood before the shorter woman whose angry red face was close to matching her dress.

"Serenity, listen to me, _please_," the vampire begged and reached for her hand. "If you give me the ring maybe we can-"

"Why?" The newly engaged woman grumbled bitterly, "It's already too late."

"Too late for what?" Questioned a rumbling voice from the other side of the room. An icy chill spread across Serenity's skin upon immediately recognizing the speaker. As Endymion begrudgingly climbed to his feet, the fairy quickly folded her arms across her and turned to the pair of men approaching from where they were once outside the castle.

"Heya guys!" Jou waved as he walked toward them alongside the black clad vampire. "How'd it go?" Serenity cast her eyes to the ground, carefully guarding the nature of her thoughts. If there was a way to elegantly break the evening's occurrences tactfully to the all but understanding Yami before he plucked it from one of their minds she had no idea how to do this.

"Still angry with me?" Yami spoke mirthfully as his normally harsh eyes softened upon her. Still not daring to look at him, Serenity cringed when she heard him chuckle. "I assume everything went according to plan? This should have been easy for you, Mai." Yami's rich voice rang around the room airily as he smirked towards the much younger vampire. Mai's face became red as she looked away from Yami to turn her hateful gaze upon Rei who held a stance similar to Serenity's.

"This is all _your_ fault!" Mai's shrill screech rang about the room as she leaned in dangerously to toward the brunette. Just as Rei was about to bark something back Jou quickly leapt between them.

"Whoa, whoa, what happened?" He cooed as he placed a hand on the angry vampire's shoulder who appeared to look through him as she glared toward the fairy.

"Great. We should have known the Duke would nothing to do with a man-eater." A new voice entered the room. Honda, dressed in plain clothes jogged up to the tense group from outside the building "Well, who did he choose? We need to go get her to see what the map reveals!" He sighed. Rei's eyes turned toward the pointy haired werewolf in confusion, she had just been with Honda it was impossible that he could have changed clothes and gone outside so quickly.

"That won't be necessary," came a gruff voice from the same hallway leading away from the castle's main ball room. Strolling into the enclosure dressed in the tuxedo Honda had been wearing earlier that evening, Seto wore a pleased grin as he approached the group. Rei's face fell when the now undisguised werewolf paid her a wink just before letting his hand fall heavily onto Serenity's shoulder. Jarring her eyes from the ground she looked up toward him in horror; he had seen everything which was only going to make all of this so much worse.

"Seto!" Yami growled as he stepped closer to the pair, eying the other man's hand offensively "Keep your hands to your-"

"Don't-" Serenity begged as she looked up toward Seto, who smirked maliciously toward the looming vampire.

"Bloodsucker! Didn't you hear the good news?" Seto spoke excitedly as the elder man's bared teeth quickly evaporated into a look of confusion. Withdrawing his hand from her, the werewolf's eyes lit up.

"Our dear Serenity is engaged. Isn't that just _spectacular_?" He broke the news just barely containing his mirth. Yami was a deathly silent and Serenity could almost see his confirming the incident by reading the antagonizing werewolf's thoughts. The temperature of the room dropped several degrees as it was seemingly swallowed by furious dark shadows. Serenity took an instinctive step backwards when the vampire turned his intimidating crimson eyes upon her in completely unadulterated ire.

"Jou," Serenity spoke quietly, unable to tear her eyes away from the man whose wordlessness was terrifying as he stood unflinchingly just beyond her with widened eyes and fangs bared. "Give me the map. Now." The bewildered sibling quickly thrust the parchment into her hands and Serenity's blue eyes darted across it, quickly committing the words to memory as she was in a hurry to get out of this nightmarish situation.

"Serenity? Endymion?" A gentle voice broke through the tension in the room. Looking behind her, the blonde fairy's eyes widened in horror where the Lord of Atra had stumbled upon their gathering. "Who are all these people? What's going on?"

"Eh?" Jou said as he looked upon the man who could be Endymion's twin. "Who the heck are you?"

"A dead man." Yami spoke sinisterly as he moved his murderous gaze to the troubled man. Before anyone could respond, Anzu made her appearance as she swiftly and successfully knocked out the Duke with a swipe to the head; catching him before he hit the ground. Hotaru, just beyond her covered her mouth with a gasp and the female werewolf expertly shrugged off the horrified look given to her by Endymion.

"Oh he's fine, but you should probably get him out of here." Moving quickly, Endymion gathered his cousin from Anzu and stormed off into the building. Looking down to the ring on her hand, Serenity tried to go after them was stopped by an arm that flew around her waist. Without bothering to ask permission, Yami relieved the priceless jewel from the fairy's hand and chucked it to the ground as the others were beginning to make their exit from the building. Frozen against the man's solid arm, Serenity watched as Hotaru leaned down to pick up the item.

"I'll make sure he gets this back…" She said shyly and began running quickly after where Endymion stalked away. Now alone with Yami in the gatehouse, the fairy drew in shallow breaths as she could feel his angry eyes burrowing into her although she was faced away from him.

"Don't kill him." Serenity commanded. The taller man's chest quivered angrily against her back followed by a low growl that sounded from his throat.

"No." He spoke darkly. Pushing away from him, he let his arm drop as she spun around to face him.

"I didn't have any other choice. We had to complete the task or risk _everything_." She protested and took a few steps backward. Keeping his glowing red gaze settled upon her he slowly stalked toward her where she kept continually moving backwards in a futile effort to get away from him.

"I don't _care_." The vampire seethed.

"This is exactly what I cannot handle about you, Yami!" Serenity roared toward the man who continued to menacingly approach. "You're absolutely incapable of listening to reason!" She spat just before her back connected with the freezing cold wall forcing her attempted escape to come to a halt. An infuriated growl erupted from Yami as he slammed his open palms viciously into the surface behind her sending little crumbles of rock falling down to the ground. He hovered above her, looking furiously into the small woman's wide and nervous eyes.

"Reason?" He hissed. "You let some pitiful human claim you as his and you want me to be _reasonable_? I'm going to tear him to shreds! You are _mine_!" The vampire shrieked as he spared no tact in asserting his dominance and possessiveness over the woman who couldn't help that she naturally was impossibly attractive to humans.

"You don't even truly want me!" Serenity barked bravely up toward him. "If you did you would have _never _let me go!" Her statement only further infuriated him as he dug his fingers deeper into the wall with a growl.

"If you truly believe that, then you have grown very stupid, Serenity." His insult sent fire burning through her as she reached forth and grabbed the lapel of his open jacket forcefully.

"Then prove it." She challenged almost automatically.

Unleashing a possessive snarl Yami secured her small hands within his and pinned them against the wall by her head. Moving lightning fast he forcibly connect his mouth with hers, commanding that she allow his deepened kiss with a threatening rumble from his chest. It was as if she could sense his every emotion through the intimate contact. She could taste his fury with her as his tongue was both fierily passionate and absolutely incensed with rage. Any trace of shallow lust he might have held for her in a less impassioned situation was gone and Serenity was left feeling as if she was truly the most important thing in all the world. Bringing her arms around him, he pulled her into his solid and warm body and if for nothing more than a moment everything felt perfect until the Queen was suddenly overcome with a strange sensation and it all went completely black.

* * *

THANK YOU TO: **Anonymous, Sakura Waldorf, Sesshy's Mistress, SailorVmoon1311815, Serena-hime, Cosmic-lover, chibi moon baby, Fire Dolphin, Saris Yui, Rach, **and **lucienne **for taking the time to read and review last time!

So, firstly, HAPPY HALLOWEEN! :) One of my fav holidays EVER! Secondly: A LOT of stuff happened in this chapter…where like the title suggests a lot of "masquerading" truths have been revealed! If it feels like the chapter abruptly dropped off its intentional because Serenity is going to find herself in a very peculiar position next time!

If it isn't clear by now the "world" these people live in is not at all like ours geographically. Even though I mention "Egypt's" existence it's not the same as it is in real world. I was thinking of maybe drawing a map and putting it on deviantart or something so people get a better sense on where everything is but I don't know if it's worth doing since this is just a fanfic! Essentially, the Earth is mainly one large continent, containing places such as "The Old Land," "Atra," "Kalseru," and Egypt too. There are also several small continents, like Seto mentioned at the beginning of the story he mainly spends his time on one that's made up of primarily werewolves. Anyway, that could be enough information for most of you but if anyone is horribly confused let me know!

Please let me know what you think! It means the world to me that you guys take the time to read and review this!

-Kochou-hime


	14. Forever

The Ostiary

Kochou-hime

**All characters belong to their respective owners.**

Forever

There was no way to know for certain how long Serenity had been wallowing within the darkness of her unresponsive mind. But when her body's sensations slowly began returning, the ability to hear had been the first. Beginning as merely soft vibrations tickling her ears, the noises surrounding her grew into an almost deafening echo. Familiarity struck her senses upon perceiving the sound of running water; no, waves crashing into an unyielding rocky shore. The melody of the strange ocean seemed angry almost as if the violent swells were reaching out to her and wishing to drag her down to the very bottom of a dark and forsaken sea.

Blurry vision returned to her when she finally willed her weary lids to reveal their ambient blue treasures to the world. As soon as she distinguished stony stalactites on the ceiling with the dim aid of nearby firelight, the rest of her sensations overwhelmed her like an avalanche where at their forefront was unbearable and excruciating _pain_.

Sucking in a sharp breath, the Moon's queen let loose a silent scream upon feeling a searing burn sizzling at her wrists. Sitting up rapidly from where she once lay completely unconscious, she barely noticed the dull throb at the back of her head as she looked in horror upon the iron shackles binding her wrists together. The injury the poisonous metal left against her raw skin was so agonizing that she truly didn't know how to react upon it but stare. Her voice failed her, torturously trapped within her lungs but suddenly erupted in a surprised yelp when a dark shadow fell over her.

"Oh, you're finally awake." A foreign voice spoke from the shadowy figure that hovered over her. "Oh my god! Your wrists!" It exclaimed once again as the male hurriedly fell to his knees and took her hands into his own.

Serenity could barely make sense of anything before her eyes or ears. The iron had cut through her skin and was slowly making its way to seeping into her blood. Seeing the stranger as only a flash of blue where her vision was guided by torches lit behind him, the pain had already dulled prior to his quick removal of the cuffs, leaving her somehow comfortably numb to the nothingness that came barreling to claim her senses once again. But before she lost consciousness for the second time, a different, malevolent sounding voice chartered her off to a forced slumber.

"A fairy; just as I suspected."

* * *

When consciousness once again returned, Serenity awoke with an unfamiliar jacket draped across her; a supposed reprieve to having been sleeping on the remote cave's cold and hard floor. Looking immediately to her wrists she noticed they had been bandaged, affirming the nightmare from her last waking had been a reality. Running her fingers along one of the bandages she winced, the tender skin having made such close contact with iron would leave scars guaranteed to take days to heal even if she had all of her energy, which had already been hopelessly drained by having just traces of the horrid substance swirling within her blood.

"How are you feeling?" A gentle voice inquired. Weakly sitting up in her rumpled and now ruined red gown, Serenity looked aghast upon spoken. The person standing before her was a very peculiarly dressed and effeminate man smiling warmly down toward her. A body suit made from rings of puffy pale blue fabric covered his thin form, save where it was unzipped revealing his very male chest despite his feminine face. His long locks of similarly colored hair were held back into a low ponytail and not a second after she caught a glimpse of his sapphire colored eyes did she fail to notice his tell-all pointed ears. Releasing a sharp gasp upon her discovery, the elf waved his hands before him nervously.

"No, no don't be afraid! We're not going to hurt you. In fact, we saved you from eminent death a little while earlier!" The man with aqua hair spoke with a proud smile. Serenity shook her dizzied head: _we_? _Eminent death?_

"Speak for yourself, Fish," Came a deeper male voice from the right. Shifting her suspicious gaze, Serenity looked upon another elf, also strangely dressed in a toga ensemble with a bra-like upper half that wrapped over one shoulder. He was larger than the girlish-appearing man seated just beyond her with spikey pink hair and cruelly focused red eyes.

"I'd love to get a piece of some fairy-tail if given the go ahead." The man spoke his mind with a sinister grin. The sound of a whip cracking cut through the tension of the room when the weapon's tail wrapped around the fuchsia-haired man's arm and pulled him to the ground from where he perched on a boulder.

"Tiger! What the hell!" The man growled.

"There will be none of that, Hawk's eye," The newcomer commanded as he appeared from a pitch black portion of the enormous cave beside the roaring ocean. "The better condition she's in; the more gold she'll be worth. She's already sustained enough damage from the shackles earlier so you'll do well to keep your hands off, idiot." The one who had been called 'Tiger' spoke as he vaingloriously flipped a few locks of his long golden hair.

From the way the man carried himself, Serenity pegged him to immediately be the dominant member of this small elven group. Possibly dawning the weirdest clothing of all, the man wore tight black bikini style undergarments over striped and bright yellow tights and knee high black boots. His upper half was clothed in a cropped and long-sleeved white shirt with high standing black shoulder pads, revealing the majority of his lower abdominals in all their naked glory. His cat-like golden eyes burrowed into her, regarding her as if she was literally made of the riches he clearly desired above all else.

"What is your name? Fair, beautiful, and incredibly _rare _little fairy?" Tiger asked with a wide grin. Serenity narrowed her eyes, though it felt like it required a great amount of energy to do so. For the life of her she couldn't get a hold of her bearings, how had she come into these thugs' possession? What had she been doing before this? Everything was a complete and utter blur.

"Does it matter?" She answered testily. The lead elf was silent for a moment, just before releasing a few throaty chuckles in response.

"No," He answered with a smirk. "Forgive me. I was only pretending to care." Serenity felt icy all over, ignoring the sympathetic glance being paid to her from the blue haired man. "You should really be more grateful though, after all, as Fisheye said, we _did _save your life."

"From what may I ask?" Serenity challenged forcefully, despite her feeling utterly weak in her current state.

"I figured you'd have no idea," Tiger commented with a snort, "What would you say if I told you: you were a hair's length away from becoming a midnight snack to the most feared predator in all the world?" The fairy deadpanned; replaying her last dizzied memories in her recollection when suddenly she recalled the feeling of powerful and passionate lips against her own. Her eyes widened in disbelief upon the other, and an ominous chill spread across her skin when the elf lifted his chin; motioning to her to look behind. Cautiously turning to peer over her shoulder, the sight before Serenity's distraught gaze momentarily forced her heart to stop.

A tormented yelp escaped her throat as her exhausted form fell, crumbling to her hands and knees as she stared upon the impossible. Yami's stiff and unmoving body, lie in an enormous pool of blood showing no visible signs of life much to her ever growing horror. Hot tears began to rain down her cheeks as she failed to find the will to move or speak; her mind still absolutely refusing to believe what her eyes were telling her.

"There, there now." A soft but cruel resounding voice cooed as Tiger came to crouch beside Serenity and place a hand on her bare shoulder. "It happens to the best of us. You probably had no idea he was a vampire; let alone the one told to be the deadliest to ever exist." Serenity refused to acknowledge the elf beside her as the feeling of her insides wrenching was far more painful than the iron had been when it had cut into her tender flesh.

"Fish, Hawk and I, well we're bounty hunters you see. We used to be skilled trackers for King Diamond's great army but, as if you would be surprised by this, there was far more money in defecting for a different sort of trade." He continued to explain as Serenity answered with a shallow sob. Her body began to tremble and overheat. The nerves in her brain were firing rapidly conveying information that was impossible to accept.

The unbeatable had been beaten. The invincible…fallen. And Yami was gone.

_Gone._

"We had developed quite a reputation in this expertise for taking down formidable targets, something I personally take great pride in." Tiger continued his speech. "So when this bounty came to my attention, well, let's just say it was easily the biggest fish I had ever been invited to land. And more importantly, the prize that came attached to it is enough for the three of us to live like kings for the rest of our lives," The man explained with a victorious smirk.

"I have no qualm admitting a vampire as old as he could take out all three of us without much effort under normal circumstances. But the greatest notion a bounty hunter must remember is that _any _man or creature, no matter how mighty, can fall under the right circumstance or opportunity. I knew that even if he sensed our presence he'd pay it no mind. _The King of Games_ is a name feared by all, even his own kind, there was no way he would be threatened by a few elves." Appearing unnerved that Serenity wasn't looking at him, he gently pulled her tear stricken face to gaze into his own with his fingertips.

"If it's any consolation, you were that perfect opportunity my fairy friend," Tiger spoke into her horrified expression. "He was so taken by you; he didn't even see us coming." Feeling as if her heart had finally collapsed with his sickening recount, Serenity tore away from him with the little strength she had left. Scrambling to a stand, she desperately launched herself toward the fallen vampire.

"Yami!" She wailed and gasped when a forceful pair of arms knocked the breath from her lungs as they caught her from behind.

"No, no," Tiger wheezed. "I can't let you do that I'm afraid." Flailing weakly against him, she reached her arms out toward the man who she had awarded her love in its truest form; though she had yet to everadmit it aloud.

"Damn it Tiger, I _told _you this was a bad idea!" The pink haired Hawk suddenly barked, pacing back in forth under Fish's watchful gaze.

"Hawk, we all agreed that if we were going to do this, the reward alone would guide us to its end." Tiger reminded his companion coolly as Serenity continued to writhe within his arms like a helpless rag doll.

"I'm not about to end up dead for this!" Hawk screeched, grabbing a lit torch and holding it menacingly before him. "Let's kill him now! We can make just as much gold off selling the fairy and keep our fucking heads!"

"No! You swore on your honor, Hawk! We will see this through to its end!" The man with Serenity within his arms roared. Upon the words registering within her brain, the woman dressed in crimson stopped her struggling. Her blue eyes widened on Yami, who despite what Hawk's words had alluded to, hadn't moved in the slightest.

"He's alive?" Serenity whispered, desperately wanting to believe.

"Oh yes," Tiger rumbled toward her ear. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to kill a creature such as he? Which is actually quite fortuitous for us since the one who requested our services wanted him returned still very much _alive_." Her sparkling orbs, glittering with tears, widened as she took a deep breath, relishing in how this new information reignited a hope in the air that had once been drowned in an ocean of darkness, much like the one that roared upon the outsides of the cave.

"And that's where this all becomes truly complicated. Because you see, when you incapacitate a vampire like this; weaken him to a point of desperation," The golden haired elf continued to whisper. "He'll have no choice but to _devour _any feast that gets too close and if that should happen, he'll regain his strength and we'll _all _be _dead_. We must wait until the right moment when he is the weakest and cannot bite or overpower us should we get too close. Only then can we transport him the long distance to his destination, but the timing must be _perfect_. This is the game we play, little girl."

Serenity remained silent as she felt her exhausted body carried, and gently set to sit on the ground beside the effeminate man's feet. She kept her eyes religiously focused on the man who was once her lover and she swore to him, praying that the vampire was somehow silently listening to her thoughts, that she wouldn't let these men succeed. He'd obtain the blood he needed to heal and become an indomitable force of nature once again, even if it came from her own veins.

* * *

Shortly after the argument between the two larger elven men, they had exited the cave on a venture to explore the area and find food, instructing Fish to look after their two prisoners, and of course, artfully make sure the vampire had no source of blood to heal himself with.

The Moon's queen, who was currently in a very weak state and difficult situation, sat silently on the rocky floor with her arms wrapped around her knees. Her exhausted and drained body begged for food and possibly more for sleep but she stayed perfectly still. Keeping her eyes firmly affixed on Yami, who still hadn't moved an inch, she was beginning to doubt that he was truly alive.

No, she couldn't give up hope. Yami _was_ alive, and before too long the both of them would be free from this place and hopefully look upon this incident as nothing more than a terrible dream, a tiny blip in time that wouldn't matter at all in another hundred years past.

"Are you feeling any better?" Fish's gentle voice sounded. Though she truly wished to have nothing more to do with her captors, she noticed there was something different about the blue haired elf. He was gentler than the other two, almost as if somewhere within him he was genuinely concerned for her wellbeing. She hadn't quite formulated a plan to how she would get to Yami and ideally force him to accept her blood, but she quickly ascertained that her best opportunity to do so would be somehow persuading this man to let her get near him while the other two were absent.

"Yes, thank you," She mustered out somehow sounding polite though every beat of her heart ached with concern for the vampire who lay deathly still within a puddle of his own blood. When he said nothing else, Serenity cautiously turned her dulled chasms upon him. He hovered just beside her, fumbling a small pink comb between his green-gloved fingers. Catching her miserable gaze, he paid her a small smile.

"Having long hair myself I know how difficult it can be to upkeep," He began shyly, "We've put you through a lot of dishevelment by bringing you here, would you allow me to brush through the tangles for you?" Serenity's tired and distracted mind barely comprehended his words. Though appearances were the last thing on her mind she affirmed his request with a slow nod of her head. Happily he moved to take a seat behind her, and wasted no time in quickly undoing the round buns nestled upon the crown of her head.

"You keep staring at him, are you truly so sad?" Fish asked quietly as he gently pulled the comb through her honey colored locks. "Vampires are known for their deceit. Any promises of devotion he made to you were made for the purpose of robbing you of your blood, so don't feel sorry for him." The elf's efforts to console her were so horribly ironic that Serenity's lips tugged into the beginnings of a wry smile.

"Is your name really Fish?" She asked in an attempt to change the subject; her voice barely above a whisper.

"No," he replied to her with a small laugh. "As Tiger's eye explained, the three of us used to belong to a division within the Elven army. Most specifically, as skilled trackers we were referred to as the legion's 'eyes.' On missions we were always instructed to use our codenames, and for some reason I can't quite recall they had given me the name Fish. Even though we abandoned our unit quite some time ago, old habits stick, I guess."

Though it had little effect on her current distress, the feel of the stiff brush against her scalp was soothingly pleasant. With each and every quiet stroke the wheels within Serenity's head began spinning. Her thoughts settled on her current position with close proximity to the more mildly inclined elf. If there was any creature that truly excelled in obtaining what they desired, that title exclusively belonged to vampires. Though the thought of taking a page from Yami's book to handle a situation downright terrified her, she concluded that she had no other choice if she wished to ensure their survival.

Her insides lurched at the thought of more spilled blood despite having already grown accustomed to its metallic scent from the time spent near the injured Yami within the cave. The subspace satchel neatly attached to a garter around her thigh suddenly felt as if it weighed a thousand pounds as she thought about the powerful stone blade magically stowed away inside. Did she _really _have the courage to threaten this man with her weapon, or the gall to slice into his flesh if he should object to her demands?

The fairy's hands began to tremble as she looked forlornly upon her bandaged wrists. Fear wasn't the only thing holding her back, she wasn't even sure she had the strength to lift the sword remembering that her supernatural abilities had been cruelly compromised by the shackles' deadly poison.

"I've never beheld hair such as yours. It reminds me perfectly of the golden wheat from my homeland, and of how radiant it was beneath the shining sun." Fish spoke quietly as he relinquished his comb. Pulling off one of his olive green gloves with his teeth he let the perfect silken strands fall through his fingers. Though she stiffened upon his compliment, she dizzily remembered that brute force wasn't the only way a vampire managed to get his way…

"But its scent…it's almost as if you'd gone swimming in the royal palace's gardens; rolling amongst the white jasmines budding in the early spring." Fisheye continued his marvelling. Turning her forlorn gaze away from the vampire, she settled her big blue eyes upon his with a stare that could pierce directly into his soul. Momentarily rendered speechless beneath the eternal beauty's scrutiny, the elf promptly reacted by bringing his naked fingers gently upon her cheek.

"Please, don't be sad." Fish pled. Serenity did her best not to cringe toward his coaxing. His tender touch felt like fire against her. She was truly disgusted with her actions; once again forced to accept a stranger's affections if for nothing more than to gain his trust. While every one of her missions since coming to the Earth had been important, what was at stake had never been this high.

"I've been thinking you know…as I watched you sleep earlier." The elf continued, his words shameless and his attention unwavering. "I'm not going to let Tiger sell you. I'll offer he and Hawk a large sum of my own share of the bounty. There will still be so much left over; truly, you can't fathom how much wealth was offered in exchange for acquiring such a dangerous target." Serenity tried to appear pleased with his words. She ordered the corners of her mouth to greet him with a smile but her true horror would never allow it.

"It would be a crime to allow a disgusting creature to have you and possibly bring you harm. You can stay with me and you'll feel nothing but happiness! We'll build a home just along the edge of the Fae Kingdom, with lots of cooks and servants there'll be nothing for us to ever worry about!" Fish spoke in pure delight. His pupils dilated longingly as he shifted his long fingers into the strands of her flaxen bangs. He leaned in dangerously close to her face sending the fairy's heartbeat into frenzy as she fought all urges to rip away from him.

"I would…always care for you." Fish sighed. Serenity's eyes widened as the closely seated man appeared to give into his desiring ache, and slowly descended his lips upon hers. But before her sickened skin was assaulted, a low groan from beyond them sent both their attentions sailing toward its source.

"I'll make you a deal, elf." The familiar tone of Yami's voice rang within the cave. Still not having shifted from where he lay on his back, he suddenly snapped his eyes open, turning the furiously brewing and bloody storm within them upon Fish who promptly yelped and fell backwards.

"Though there is nothing that will save you from your forthcoming demise," Yami spoke sounding frighteningly calm. "If you remove your putrid touch from her and get out of my sight _now_," he continued with a darkness that nearly stifled the sounds of the raging sea. "I'll ensure that your death will be _quick_." Though the threat of a man wallowing in his own blood should have been shallow at best, the terrified elf quickly jumped to his feet and dashed toward the cave's exit in complete panic.

"Yami!" Serenity cried, rushing to him on wobbly legs. She collapsed unceremoniously to her knees at his side feeling far too relieved to hear the sound of his voice to be concerned with the blood soaking into her similarly hued dress. The vampire's gaze was still pregnant with displeasure to what he had managed to stop with a forceful command, but she could also see pain clouding his vibrant eyes though she knew the ancient man would never admit to his discomfort aloud.

"I'm beginning to think there's not a male on this Earth that understands the gravity of failing to keep his hands or more disgustingly, _mouth _away from you." Yami growled. Wiping stressful tears away from her eyes Serenity grabbed onto his hand with as much force as she could muster forward.

"Yami," she practically sobbed, "all of this is my fault!" She exclaimed but truly didn't know why she felt solely responsible for their current predicament.

"This world is cruel," Yami uttered throatily with the beginnings of a wistful smile. "I cannot enjoy even a moment of your company without another coming to take you away. Perhaps we were wrong in trying to stop Zorc. He'd be doing me a favor in wiping out the rest of the world. Only then could I have you to myself."

"No," Serenity responded, not caring to try and hide the tears streaming down her face. "We don't have much time. I know he'll find the others and the elves will return. I-" Serenity paused lifting up a trembling hand. "I don't have enough energy to heal you so you're going to have to-" Her words halted when the vampire grabbed ahold of her arm; pushing it away from his face with a force that shocked her. It was all so awfully ironic, even being so incapacitated that he couldn't bring himself to stand the ages old vampire still tremendously out powered her in strength.

"Serenity," He spoke simply but in a voice that she had heard only a few times before. The ache rolling within flowing vibrations of sound that told everything he regarded of her in just the statement of her name. His staggering and soul devouring eyes were clouded in delirium; a warring mix of his physical pain and the idolatry he harbored for the woman hovering above.

"It occurred to me earlier this evening while awaiting your return from the masquerade that in this continual vendetta between you and me, I have failed to make something important absolutely clear." He spoke as he gentled the hold on her forearm. "I've never put much opinion toward words. Statements and promises have always seemed so insignificant when compared to much more sincere forms of communication. All that I've done and am still willing to do for you could never be overshadowed by an attempt to summarize it using just words." Serenity trembled beneath his hold and was continually feeling dizzier by the battle of focusing on the honesty in his gaze and the incredible worrying need to get them both to safety.

"I'd do absolutely anything for you Serenity; anything that was within my power to obtain or change I wouldn't hesitate a moment, and if it was beyond my power, then, I'd become more powerful for nothing more than achieve what I've just promised."

"Yami, please listen-" She screeched but lost her words when he merely smiled back at her.

"The first time I saw you, I can see it now as if all this time that has passed had just been moments ago," he continued groggily. "Shimon was stuck by your side as if you were a porcelain doll that could be shattered by a mere touch of the fingers. He clearly distrusted both Bakura and I and for good reason, even before you had spoken a single word you were still the most beautiful being I had ever bared witness to. At first glance one might have described you as weak, but I knew better. Delving into the workings of your mind had been a spectacular privilege. Never had I seen a resolve so enormous, swimming within the most unlikely of places a tiny and quiet fairy, whose loveliness made any other rival appear utterly dull in comparison. "

"And you're a far cry now from the woman I met then," he rambled genuinely from his perfect memory. "I had been determined to protect you, but you've become so much stronger than I at such a young age. You may have needed my protection then and even now you manage to get yourself in amazingly ridiculous situations but I can say with full confidence that I need you more than anything you have ever required from me." The fairy's eyes clouded confoundedly upon him. His assessment was absurd, he was far mightier and intelligent than her in almost every aspect, and yet his words defied this as if they were fact.

"To say I merely love you would be entirely too inadequate. If everything else in this expiring world were to finally perish I would care for nothing more than to forever bask in your heavenly presence. When I say everything and anyone else is insignificant I _need_ you to truly understand, you are the only thing that's important to me." Serenity allowed a small sob to escape, and promptly forgetting the rocky history between them she leaned forward to hysterically assault her needy lips with his, but was stopped by his still ever present supernatural strength. Looking questioningly into his gaze she caught a glimpse of another emotion she had missed before. His constricted pupils were ravenous in their hunger upon her. Forced into starvation from his injuries, the only thing between her and becoming the most delicious meal Yami had ever partaken in was his incredible will power alone.

"Y-yami," Serenity whispered, just prior to pursing her lips into a thin line. "I _need _you to-"

"Go back to where you were sitting before and stay silent. They won't risk hurting you anymore, the lead one knows perfectly how much wealth he can attain from selling a fairy." Yami ordered dropping his grip from her arms.

"No! I'm not going to let you die! You've always protected me. I'm not going to sit here and do nothing!" She furiously protested. Yami snorted.

"You're joking, right? As if those fools had the power to kill _me_. I'll admit they had the upper hand when I was understandably _distracted_ before but they'll grow impatient eventually. And the very second they come too close they'll all get what is coming to them." The vampire explained darkly.

"You're…lying to me." Serenity replied in disbelief.

"No, their plan is flawed. It would take years for me to be incapacitated enough to fall unconscious or lose my ability to move."

"There's no way you can know that for sure. Yami, I'm begging you. Take _my_ _blood_. If you care for me at all-" Yami cut her off with an indignant snarl. He snapped his head to look away from her as if just mentioning the substance was enough to reignite his feverish hunger aflame.

"And all of that I've just told you, you're now begging me to harm you? No, Serenity, do as I say. Trust me." Yami implored, not daring to look upon her. Dangerously close to launching into hysterics, Serenity saw the solution clearly. He wouldn't be able to maintain such willpower if she used his stellar senses as an advantage. Quickly standing up, she immediately hiked her dress and recovered the satchel strapped to her thigh.

"Serenity…" Yami spoke warningly and turned his ferocious eyes upon her when the Holy Blade appeared within her hand. Letting loose a small yelp as she could barely hold up the incredibly heavy sword in her weakened strength, she looked toward Yami with the same resolve he had praised her for.

"You're just going to have to try your best not to kill me." She spoke, falling again to her knees and holding the sword just above her wrist.

"Serenity!" Yami bellowed in protest, but before the weighty blade even came close to cutting her skin, a swift jerk ripped her backwards, sending the blessed weapon clattering to the rocky floor. Looking to the person who held her, now a good distance away from the injured Vampire King, she caught a glimpse of Tiger's terrified amber eyes. Looking back to Yami, his position had changed. He had somehow gathered the strength to prop himself up on his knees, and glowered with undiluted hatred toward the elf who held her body close to his own. He had attempted to take down the enemy when he had come near to snatch her away, but Tiger had managed to dance along the radius of the vampire's deadly reach.

"I knew this would happen!" Hawk's shrill scream echoed within the cave and turned his red eyes venomously upon Serenity. "I don't care how much that fairy is worth, she's a fucking liability! Fish, you almost killed us all!" The elf continued tossing his angry gaze upon the sheepish looking bluenette.

"Calm down Hawk, it's alright now." Tiger spoke slowly in an attempt to cool the other's nerves. Though his voice sounded unconvincing, he too acknowledged they just narrowly escaped death. "It's under lock and key for you from now on, little one." Tiger spoke toward Serenity disapprovingly.

"You might as well just give up," Yami hissed as he kept his incensed gaze focused on the golden haired elf. "You're just prolonging the inevitable. Not that I'm complaining, the more I wait the more I'm going to enjoy tearing out your fucking throat." Yami threatened, sounding sinisterly calm as his eyes bore into Tiger. Though Serenity did believe she had nothing to fear from the vampire, his seething presence made her blood run cold.

"Not if we kill you first!" Hawk shrieked, gripping his brown gloved hands into trembling fists at his sides. The tension surrounding the pink haired elf pulsed precariously, even Fish seemed reluctant to try and calm him.

"Hawk, just be silent. He's powerless as long as we monitor him from afar." Tiger once again tried to assuage his ruffled companion.

"From afar?" Hawk questioned sarcastically, "And what about when we fall asleep? I have a feeling he can move more than you think my dear _friend_." The toga wearing elf had a crazed look in his eye, one that made Serenity momentarily thankful that Tiger seemed deadest on ensuring she remain in one piece, profit or not. When his eyes focused on the fairy, her skin began to crawl.

_A fucking liability_, the elf mouthed, but the words were perfectly clear where they reflected in her widened blue orbs. What happened next occurred in a blur, before she could blink the captured Queen was tossed unceremoniously to her bottom the air forcefully flying from her lungs upon contact. Hawk viciously charged into Tiger. Their snarls launched into the air, each seemingly equal in strength as they grappled for dominance.

"Stop it!" She heard Fish wail upon finally catching her senses. Sucking in a ragged breath she forced herself to stand, but the moment she was steady on her feet excruciating pain exploded from her abdomen, just inside her right hip bone. Moving her eyes downward, her jaw fell open upon observing Hawk eye kneeling before her with his fist holding the hilt of a short blade. He ripped his hand back violently. The sight of her own blood stung her disbelieving eyes as the viscous substance ran down and hid itself within the red fabric of her gown.

"No amount of gold is worth being dead!" Hawk's voice roared. Tiger's hand caught his arm, preventing him from stabbing again as the feeling began to drain from Serenity's limbs. The roaring sound of the ocean quieted as if the beats of her ever slowing heart became deafening to her ears. She heard faintly the sounds of howling, angry arguments and threats spewing into the room but they were all distorted, as if she was trapped in an illusion or a false dream. Serenity barely felt anything when her back fell against the rocky ground. Her vision became blurry. Those once sparkling eyes brimming with living luster became dull as she watched the moving ceiling. The only thing on her mind with the pain, and the confusing sounds surrounding her was a haunting realization.

After a thousand years Yami had finally professed his undying love for her, and she never did get the chance to tell him that she truly felt the same.

Suddenly the ground below her felt like it was trembling and a large crashing followed. Serenity felt freezing cold drops of water spray onto her face, coming from the gaping hole that been made at the cave's sea side. A dragon's roar filled the cavern followed quickly by several shadowy figures entering the newly made entrance.

"Serenity!" Jou wailed as he sped toward her body. He paused his steps when a shadow converged over her injured form. Feeling her body roughly brought to stand against another, she gasped desperately for air.

"Come any closer and I'll finish her off!" Hawk's eye roared. Seto alongside his other werewolf companions stalked cautiously into the cave and after a quick survey his eyes fell coldly upon where Yami kneeled on the floor panting heavily in absolute rage. Quickly darting his gaze upon where the smallest blue haired elf cowered away from them he lunged forward and with a swift kick Fish went flying backward, crumbling to the ground to what would be his undoing.

Hawk flinched at the sound of blood curdling screams, the injured vampire had Fish's shoulders clamped to the ground and his fangs buried into his neck.

"You're not going anywhere!" Mai roared venomously just after pushing Tiger's eye to the ground and successfully cutting off his futile escape attempt. Turning his panicked gaze back upon the Fae Prince who was stalking ever closer, Hawk held his blade desperately against her neck.

"Let's make a deal, I'll kill her you don't back down!" He roared. Jou's eyes glowed completely white for a moment and suddenly he lifted his hand.

"Fry, fuckhead!" He bellowed. Electrical beams assaulted Hawk, forcing him to relinquish his grip on Serenity, but before she tumbled to the ground she floated into Jou's receiving arms.

"Serenity!" He cried out in vain, kneeling so that she hovered just above the cave's rocky floor.

"You fool!" The sound of Yami's inconsolable voice screeched. "That attack; if you've injured her more I'll tear you apart!" He threatened, quickly rushing to the fairy siblings' side.

"They share the same blood; Queen Serenity is immune to electrical damage." Rei suddenly spoke as she moved to hover over her quickly fading sovereign. Pushing past her, Hotaru abruptly came between the two men, earning a murderous glare from Yami. Ignoring him, she easily tore at the fabric exposing the wound and quickly hovered her hands above it where they were enveloped in a pale glow.

"You'll have to move out of the way so I can heal her." Hotaru ordered and both men reluctantly took a few steps backward, Jou gently laying her on the ground. The utterly incensed vampire tossed his glare behind him, and upon Mai who obediently held the golden haired elf hostage with a hand around his neck.

"You can begin redeeming yourself from your earlier indiscretion if you take both he and the other to the far end of the cave and wait for me. Do not harm either of them," Yami uttered poisonously, "that is a privilege that belongs solely to me." He said with a tone in his voice that promised unfathomed torture.

"Yami," Serenity muttered breathlessly, only halfway conscious after Hotaru had healed her to the best of her ability. Her body cradled within her brother's arms, the vampire's red eyes softened upon her. Rushing forward he grabbed ahold of one of her limp hands and looked earnestly into her expression. He spoke to her, but the words faded into nothingness as much needed sleep finally claimed her torn and exhausted form.

* * *

When Serenity awoke it felt as if she had once again been asleep for an eternity, though this time she was nestled in a sea of soft and billowing blankets. The petite fairy stretched her limbs and whimpered when they ached from the movement. Cracking open her heavy eyelids she was immediately greeted by the light of dimly lit candles and a figure straddling the back of a chair at her bedside.

"Yami," Serenity called out to him once she discerned his trademark crimson eyes, brimming with concern as they obsessively poured over her. He responded silently by immediately standing and retrieving an item from across the room. Taking a seat on the edge of the bed he held a glass in his grip containing a smooth brown colored liquid within.

"You have to consume this. Your body will heal more quickly if you give it more energy." He heavily insisted as he held the beverage out to her. Looking upon it, she childishly scrunched her nose.

"What is it?" She asked softly.

"Milk, I think," Yami grumbled as he lifted his upper lift upon smelling the food item he truly had no interest in. "The human from the town nearby claimed it was necessary for nutritional value, especially for one who is unwell." Serenity sat up from where she lay groggily and rested the back of her hand against her forehead in an effort to combat the dizziness.

"I don't like milk," the royal fairy pouted. The red-eyed man sighed heavily, just before gritting his teeth into a snarl.

"Well he claimed it tasted sweet. How am I supposed to know? I'd be more than happy to hunt him down and drag him in here where he can explain it to you himself!" He growled. Quickly snatching the glass from him, she tossed him an irritated look.

"Why are you so grumpy?" She muttered, wrapping her tiny hands around the glass.

"You're healing from your injuries too slowly. I wanted to feed you my own blood to hasten the process but Ra thought its iron content could possibly worsen your condition." Already having no appetite in the first place, Serenity's expression further soured on the glass upon the thought of drinking blood.

"Thanks a lot Yami, I'm really hungry now." She whined. Breathing out an exasperated puff of air, the vampire's eyes suddenly lit up upon her in amusement.

"You really shouldn't insult it until you've tried it. There are plenty of creatures who would sacrifice a limb to consume blood as powerful as mine." He teased with a flash of his fangs.

"No thanks," Serenity replied with a wrinkle of her nose. Bringing the glass obediently to her lips she was pleasantly surprised when the rich liquid was flavored with luscious chocolate. Quickly downing its contents, she sighed contently and relinquished the glass to the vampire who offered to take it away.

"You should have mentioned it was chocolate milk! That's completely different." She said with a pleased smile. After placing the vessel on the floor, Yami immediately flitted his eyes over her in an intense scrutiny. Taking her hand into his, he ran his fingers over her bandaged wrist to which she immediately flinched.

"Ouch, h-hey give it a chance to work, ok?" Serenity complained. But the determined vampire ignored her plea and began carefully unwrapping the white bandage. She sighed at the appearance of the ugly scar around her wrist and fluttered her lashes when he continued to shrewdly study it. Without warning, the astoundingly handsome man brought the appendage to his mouth. Settling his dazzling gaze firmly with hers, she gasped when she felt a wet and warm heat on her sensitive skin. Moving his languid tongue along the scar, the skin tightened and the rough tissue rapidly disappeared upon the ability of a vampire's saliva being able to quickly heal small superficial wounds, which was incredibly useful for hiding bite marks. A blush spread across Serenity's face upon his maneuver that was equally as sensual as it was useful. Returning her now healed wrist, she gulped when he reached out for the other.

"It'll heal on its own you know." She immediately reminded, and shivered when he flashed her a bemused smirk.

"I'm a rather impatient man," he responded sonorously and immediately paid her other wrist with the same treatment, but much slower this time as he leisurely slid his tongue; clearly relishing in the flavor of her milky skin. Lowering her other hand down to the fluffy comforter, he twisted his torso so that he hovered above her with his hands planted on either side. Banishing any lingering venereal thoughts from her head, she was debating on whether or not to thank him when suddenly he rapidly pulled the covers away from her body and moved his lithe form completely above her. Catching a flash of his wicked grin she promptly remembered her third accrued injury and her eyes opened wide.

"Yami, wait!" She protested but failed her words with a soft whimper when the vampire nuzzled her cotton shirt upwards and expelled his heated breath against her bare midsection. Nipping playfully at the ties at her soft pajama bottoms he easily untied them and pulled the elastic down slightly with his fingers to reveal a thin scar where she had been brutally stabbed the previous night. Quickly moistening lips he paused to toss her a devilish glance just before he lowered his mouth against her. An uncontrolled squeal escaped her lips as he ran his tongue from the base of the injury upwards in a painstakingly slow fashion. The luxurious and velvety heat on her skin left her body begging for more by the time he had finished his absolutely evil method in aiding her wounds.

With a victorious smirk plastered across his face he fell to his elbows and thrust a hand into his wild locks of hair, tilting his head to one side as he regarded her.

"Do you have any more injuries that I can tend to for you?" He inquired huskily hardly able to contain his grin. "Or perhaps there's something else that requires my indulgent and undivided attention?" He spoke, running his tongue suggestively along the fronts of his teeth.

"N-no," Serenity stuttered automatically, a desiring part of her immediately regretting it when the words left her mouth.

"Fine," Yami replied sounding slightly grumpy as he lifted himself away from her and fell to lounge at her side upon the enormous bed. "If you're not interested in receiving boundless pleasure than I'm more than pleased to offer you my otherwise spectacular company." He taunted while gifting to her a playful smile. Wrapping his trim and muscled arms, that were wonderfully displayed by his simple and short-sleeved black shirt, to rest behind his head the stalwart man made it known he wouldn't be going anywhere for awhile. Reclaiming the warmth of the blankets she twisted on her side, wrapping herself within the fleecy material before meeting his studying gaze.

"The elves; they're-" She looked away from him as she paused, not daring to utter the word that made her stomach lurch aloud.

"Do I really need to answer that?" The ages old vampire replied coldly reclaiming her troubled blues with his fiery gaze. "Unless you want further details I can assure you, they are no longer able to harm you again. _This _will _never _happen again, Serenity." He stiffly emphasized, "In the few instances I've made a costly mistake I've never once in five thousand years repeated one." Responding with a shallow nod, Serenity gripped unconsciously onto the blankets and felt absolutely wretched picturing their demise.

"But that's not what you're upset about, is it?" Yami continued, his tone showing his irritation. "You continually question yourself as to why I'm such a monster. I lament that I disgust you so."

"You don't disgust me!" Serenity responded impassionedly catching the uncharacteristic emotion settled in his gaze the moment the words left his lips. "It's just difficult for me to accept or understand."

"That I can comprehend," He responded, turning his gaze to watch the ceiling, "You and I see this world through a different pair of eyes, but what I cannot accept is your continued belief that you truly can return to this world and expect that it'll all conform around you; that every creature would immediately abandon who and what they are for the sake of peace." He accused.

"I don't expect anything," Serenity flattened her lips into a thin line, "That's why fairies don't live here, exactly because of what you've explained." Yami's eyes glowed upon her, ruffling the sheets below him as he leaned nearer. His intensely red gaze demanded an explanation.

"Then _why_ are you here?"

His words stunned her, and she was further shocked to realize she couldn't immediately blurt out an explanation. She could have launched into an account of feeling responsible for Zorc's captivity because after all, she was the person who put him there. Or expressed her concern for he being able to someday come to the Moon and terrorize them there, but that would have been false. If it was possible for a being to get to the Earth's satellite through the shadows she knew without any doubt that Yami would have at some point showed up in her bedroom, maybe even to drag her back to the Earth with him. Even still, she could have told him that she truly did want the people of this world, though she disagreed with their take on existence, to be as safe and as happy as they could be.

But she didn't say any of those things, because as it were, they would have all been lies.

"It isn't the same, is it, your beautiful and utopian Kingdom?" Yami questioned the stunned silent woman softly. "Even a perfect artificial replica can never compete with that which is real, even with all its flaws."

"No," she answered honestly, feeling as if they weren't really having a conversation on where she preferred to live as the parallels between her opinion on the Earth and the man she once called a lover were uncanny.

"I realize that you'll never acquire the taste of a vanquished enemy's blood as I have, but still I feel it's important that I emphasize," His baritone voice paused when he wet his lips. "You have no idea how _behaved _I've been since the moment I first encountered you." Serenity knew what he was referring to. The terrifying vampire hadn't earned the reputation he had by not actually _doing _the things attributed to his name.

"It's difficult to recall every creature I've destroyed, but what I do remember for certain is how it made me _feel_. Once upon a time I could describe no greater exhilaration than inflicting agony; the smell and indescribable taste of fresh blood could always bring a satisfied smile to my face." Serenity felt a chill upon his frightening recount, but stayed silent as she listened.

"When you left; that's when I realized the change you evoked in me. Killing things excited me no longer, the flavor of blood lost its previous luster and was nothing more than a dull and bland necessity to maintain and keep growing stronger for no real purpose at all. And so I spent most of my time not doing much of anything but reading the same books over and over, somehow believing that you would return one day." Serenity's chest constricted guiltily on hearing his words. Though he had been cruel in their parting she somehow knew he had missed her as much as she had felt the same toward him.

"After about five hundred years or so of wallowing in solitude I finally gave up and was determined to erase you from my thoughts; forever. Venturing out into the ever changing world I came across possibly the most innocent creature aside from you I had ever seen. She was the most beautiful human girl within the town, a blushing maiden worshipped by all the suitors that came begging for her to become their bride." Yami's expression was stony as he once again looked away from her, gazing into the empty ceiling above as he recanted his memory. "The moment I laid eyes on her I knew I must destroy her; if only to gain back everything I once was: a skilled and prideful man not burdened by the weight of _feelings _or _emotions _that only left me feeling empty and miserable. Somehow I saw it as the greatest revenge I could take against you for leaving me here alone after all that had happened. And so I did just that." The fairy's skin grew cool and clammy at his last spoken statement.

"Gaining a human's affectionate attention was as easy as it always is, instantaneous really, she would have followed me anywhere. The very second I sunk my teeth into her was utter ecstasy. Her confused and painful cries only further satiated my urges. I imagined ripping her to pieces and littering them across the town so I could listen to her loved ones' tortured cries when they found her in such a way. I could almost smell the salt in their future tears as they rained to the ground. And for once in those long years I could watch someone else's torment, instead of drowning in my own." Turning his attention once again upon her, Serenity tried her very best to hide her horrified reaction to his terrible story.

"But then I caught a glimpse of her terrified eyes and immediately saw you," He voiced darkly, "It was absurd, they weren't even the proper color, but nevertheless thoughts of you crept into my mind. I remember perfectly the utter dread I felt, of how you would look upon me for committing such a deplorable crime, because to destroy something so sinless for no other reason than for my own amusement was suddenly despicable. Those immaculate blue eyes of yours, when you pause them upon me unfavorably they cut me deep; straight into the soul I no longer possess." Yami rumbled powerfully as he stared longingly into her wide and endless oceanic chasms.

"I could never erase you from my memory, not if I had to face that look you managed to give even in your absence to do so. It was too late to save her. I had greedily taken far too much blood to leave her with any semblance of a proper human life. So I did the only thing I could, the one thing I thought I'd never do…" Serenity batted her eyes curiously, gripping tightly onto the sheets at her fingertips as she awaited his further account. Yami couldn't help but smirk upon her adorable expression. Turning away and closing his eyes briefly, he stretched his stiff arms with a soft groan before propping his jaw against his fist to face her from where he lay on his side.

"But it all turned out for the best, at least as well as it could've." He spoke cryptically. "Mai has become a skilled and mighty force to be reckoned with by anyone's standards. Not that you should expect any different, not with her being a product of _my_ blood and unrivaled instruction." He explained with a grin as Serenity stared on him completely dumbfounded. How had she never considered it before? Yami had actually created Mai himself, even though the endeavor seemed tragically accidental.

"Teaching and keeping her out of trouble gave me a new purpose, so in a way my original malicious intent became somewhat of a blessing. Though I have to admit I find her to be extremely annoying, even to this very day." He grumbled. Of all the ways to respond to his story, Serenity suddenly giggled upon his last statement. She couldn't help but laugh upon imagining Yami as a grumpy mentor to the fiery vampiress. He grinned back at her.

"But despite her faults she had filled a void in me that had been left excruciatingly open for far too long." He spoke again promptly stifling Serenity's mirth. "Never as a lover though." He added, brandishing a wry smile as he watched a blush flit across her cheeks. "No, no. The ability to regard another creature other than you in such a way is something you have _permanently_ altered." Searching her fumbling thoughts she desperately wished for the proper words to respond to that, but she couldn't for the life of her find the right thing to say.

After several moments of silence between the two, not one taking eye contact off of the other, Yami suddenly sat up and rose from the soft bed to stand just beyond it. Thrusting a hand into his trouser's pocket he appeared to fumble with something within it as he stood with his back turned to her. After all that he had said, from last night to now…he was leaving? Exhaustedly propping herself up against the pillows behind her, she stared forlornly toward him. She didn't want him to leave, but dared not utter the words that would make him stay.

Despite all that had happened and been said between them nothing had truly changed. He was still the killer that he was, though she understood him much better now. And she still had all the responsibilities she had before, even though deep down she hated living on the Moon when comparing it to the Earth. _Hated _it.

Gritting her teeth, she pulled the covers from her soft clothed body and scrambled desperately to the edge of the bed. But to her horror, by the time she had stood wobbly to her feet and took a few steps forward, he had disappeared. Choking back an immediate sob, her sadness was promptly replaced with surprise when she felt strong arms wrap around her waist and pull her against a tall and solid body sharing its warmth with her back.

"Serenity," Yami's baritone voice sounded; brimming with amusement as his hot breath teased her ear. Relishing his touch quietly within the safety of his arms, a sparkling flash reflecting against the candlelight caught her eye. Looking down toward where Yami's hands shifted around her, he held a round and shimmering red hued jewel between his fingers. She had never seen anything quite like it, mentally inquiring if it was some sort of fantastic ruby that had been cut to brilliantly shine as if it were a diamond.

"It is a diamond, actually," Yami answered her thoughts with a small laugh. Serenity's eyes lit up and watched wondrously as he rubbed his fingers beneath the bottom of her left palm, giving her shivers just before slipping the Earth-made wonder that was set in shining gold along her slender ring finger. Serenity's breath caught in her throat, catching on to the symbolism of this gesture for the first time. She was stunned speechless by the eye-catching gem that was like no other she had ever seen.

"This had been a gift to my mother from my father, a very, very long time ago." The once Egyptian King spoke nostalgically. The sound of his soft spoken words were just as hypnotizing as the ring that lit up in the dim candlelight, as if a fire roared inside. He gently turned her hand over bringing attention to the gold band at her palm-side where there were two unfamiliar looking symbols. They appeared as two looped crosses meeting at their circular heads to close the golden ring together.

"The symbol is called _ankh_," Yami traced over one of the crosses with his index finger as he spoke its name in an almost foreign accent. "A very old term meaning _eternal life_," his hot breath tickled her ear when he whispered the translation. "Though the Pharaoh of Egypt was considered to be an immortal deity trapped in flesh amongst his kingdom, I think my father intended this to carry a different meaning when he gave it to the woman he cherished above all." Serenity choked back a dizzied sigh when the man suddenly pulled her tightly against him. A low purr escaping from his chest sent her into euphoric trembles against his perfectly sculpted form.

"I'd give you eternal life if fate hadn't gifted it to you already." Yami uttered throatily, his lips pulling into a smile. "But I can offer you me, and the promise to protect, love and please you _forever_." Turning around in his arms she looked wide eyed into his reverent gaze.

"Y-Yami, I-" fumbling with the ring on her finger she stuttered her words "I- ca-" She couldn't complete her decline, not while basking beneath his honest and loving gaze. And if she had any doubts before this, she knew with complete and total certainty that she wanted to say yes more than anything. Say yes with the utmost glee, and beg that he stay by her side just as he had promised: _forever_. But despite her desires, nothing had changed from her situation. Absolutely _nothing_ at all.

"Keep it for me." He spoke breaking the room's silence. "I know I haven't convinced you _yet_ but I will." The vampire grinned confidently. "Besides, regardless of how you feel in the end, my love will always belong to you." Taking a step toward her, Serenity responded with an immediate step backward.

"Y-yami listen there's a lot of-" but the fairy was cut off when he placed a tan finger against her lips, baring his almost infamous smirk.

"Personally, I think you've forgotten just how pleasant my company can be." His voice rolled as Serenity took another step backwards, the predatory look in his eye instinctively ruffling her feathers. The backs of her knees bumped into the sofa behind her, sending her tumbling down onto the soft cushions. Her blue chasms widened when he silently loomed closer, his red eyes screaming their desires before they blurred in a flash of speed.

Eagerly knocking the petite fairy on her back amongst the pillows of the plush lounge, he attacked her lips with a kiss so voracious that it took her breath away. Her will-power shattering against his passionate attack she pushed her hands up into his gloriously molded chest, admiring their familiar and solid warmth beneath the thin fabric of his shirt. He groaned against her lips and hungrily buried his pleasantly warm mouth into the crook of her neck, eliciting a small and excited cry from the woman below. Rapidly sliding his hand along her side, he paused to tug viciously at the elastic of her cotton pants.

"Please Serenity," The mighty vampire begged with a guttural whisper, "Let me remind you."

"Y-yes!" She replied with enthusiasm but suddenly, as if it had all been a cruel dream, she was lying alone on the rumpled sofa.

"Heya, sis? We heard ya scream are you alright?" A concerned voice sounded from a dark corner of the room. Stepping into the candlelight Serenity's eyes fell exasperatedly upon her younger brother. He looked like hell. She immediately noticed the dark circles around his eyes when she caught the hazel irises.

"Um, yes," Serenity choked as she stood from where she lay. "But knock next time ok?" She requested with a sigh. Jou narrowed his gaze.

"What are you doing out of bed!" He demanded loudly and promptly scooped up his tiny sister with his arms.

"Jou!" Serenity protested, kicking her legs angrily she let out a frustrated puff of air when she went crashing into the bed's pliable surface. She glared at her sibling who dutifully pulled up the covers and tucked them around her.

"I'm not a baby! I'm older than you!" She wailed in dissent.

"Be quiet. You're hurt and it's all my fault so just stay in bed and get better alright?" Jou sighed resentfully. Collapsing into the chair where Yami once sat, he hung his head in defeat. Serenity's eyes glowed apologetically upon him.

"Jou, it's not you're-"

"Yes it is!" He snapped back. "I'm supposed to be here to protect you and I failed to do that."

"Jou, I'm fine now. And you're the one who saved me, right? That has to count for something doesn't it?" She pointed out. His gaze perked up hopefully, if only for just a moment as he responded with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Well," he spoke begrudgingly, "I'm not letting you out of my sight. If I sit here all night there ain't no way in hell an elf is bustin' in here!" Shaking her head, Serenity couldn't help but laugh to herself at how ironic her brother's timing was.

"Well if you're going to stay you might as well sleep in the bed." She sighed as she scooted over to the other side. "You look like hell you know." The Fae's queen teased with a smile. Jou promptly grinned and flopped to his back on the vacant side with renewed glee.

"Hey! This will be like when we had slumber parties when I was a kid! No freakin' ghost stories though." Jou griped. Turning away from him, she rolled onto her side and looked upon the precious artifact with a sad smile. Her brother's timing was probably for the best, there was no sense in entertaining an impossible dream any longer than necessary. Pulling the ring off her left finger felt almost painful and the more she stared at it the more she realized she couldn't bear to stow the beautiful jewel away in her satchel. Slipping the ring upon her right hand finger she smiled, that was its perfect home for now.

"Just don't drool anywhere near me, ok?" Serenity taunted him with a soft smile, and felt her tired body take over as she snuggled the soft sheets more tightly.

"Hey, uh, Bunny?" Jou suddenly voiced aloud.

"What is it, Jou?" Serenity asked in a mumble.

"Last night, I kinda-" when a long pause fell over them, Serenity turned over to look confoundedly upon her brother who lay looking up at the ceiling.

"I think I fucked up."

* * *

Firstly, THANK YOU X 1 BILLION to: **MichiUsa, Cosmic-lover, AndiB, SailorVmoon1311815, Rose Mutou2010, Fire Dolphin, Serena-hime, Rach, Krissy, Sakura Waldorf, Sesshy's Mistress, Vee, devafiend, lucienne, **and** Anexya **for being amazing and reviewing the last chapter! I swear, your comments and messages are the only thing that keeps me writing in this busy life of mine!

Speaking of busy, I'm extremely sorry I couldn't get this out sooner. I hope you'll forgive me…I honestly had zero time to work on this but if it's any consolation, this chapter is 22 pages long and was probably the longest I've spent writing one to date! I had a difficult time with all the dialogue which usually isn't my norm. But you all seem to enjoy Yami's perspective so I hoped you enjoyed it!

Oh, and shameless plug. If some of you missed it I did write another side story for this, its called "In life, only the monsters win" and you can find it on my page, ^^.

Thank you all again, please let me know what you think!

Kochou-hime


	15. What is a God?

The Ostiary

El3v3n

**All characters belong to their respective owners.**

What is a God?

"Rei! Calm down!" Jou's demand went on to be ignored when a slender hand forcefully connected with the side of his face.

"G-get out of my sight!" Rei screeched, her chest rising and falling rapidly. Rubbing his cheek, he looked pleadingly toward her with genuine remorse.

"I-I deserve that. Listen, I wish I could explain but I really can't say anything else right now. You gotta believe me I just really didn't have much of a choice and I wasn't think-"

"I said, leave!" The brunette roared, refusing to meet his eyes. Hands falling helplessly to his sides, Jou promptly grit his teeth and stormed back toward the manor. The sun was rapidly falling in the distance where the Fairy was now alone amongst a thicket of tall trees. Confusion, and perhaps a hint of betrayal, flickered across her features as she glared into the bark of a tree before her. Viciously kicking the inanimate object, she expelled an angry yelp the moment her boot slammed into the timber. Balling her hands into fists, she did nothing to halt the few stray tears that slid down her face.

"Did I just happen upon a lover's spat?" Rei whipped her head around, her dark locks following, and frowned deeply at the newcomer's unwelcome appearance. The immortal werewolf merely smirked, hands buried deep within the pockets of his coat with his back to the setting sun.

"No, that can't be right. You seem far too sensible to take a worthless mate," He spoke once more. Shifting his steps he moved to stalk a half circle around the fairy who watched him with a hateful glare.

"And on what basis do you think Prince Jounouchi is worthless? Any fairy would be honored to continue the Royal lineage." Rei spoke the words like they were burning her tongue. Seto responded with a chuckle from deep in his chest.

"That's a good point. So what's your excuse?" He said with a flash of mirth crossing his blue eyes.

"I don't know what you're talking about," The raven-haired beauty replied coolly but struggled to hold back the clench in her teeth. With one casual step he closed the comfortable distance between them and heavily occupied her space with his larger form. Attempting to step away, Rei's shoulders bumped into the surface of the tree the man had cleverly backed her into. She glowered up to the half smile that stretched across his lips when he sucked in a breath just above her hair.

"You air absolutely no pheromones in his presence," his voice rolled, "If I didn't know better I'd guess that the two of you are related or maybe you just _really_ hate him." Seto lowered his face so that he could meet her angry stare. "It really is quite abnormal that there would be none at all, considering I can tell you've _never_ had a mate by smell alone." Her amethyst orbs flooded with horror upon his growing grin. She launched her palms into his torso to push him away and gasped when he didn't budge. Amusedly, he grabbed her wrists and pinned them palm side down against the bark behind her.

"Let me go! I'll burn you to a crisp!" She roared, but his smirk didn't fade.

"That would be really difficult, since I've already observed you launch your flames from your palms and fingers, which are incapacitated at the moment."

"What do you _want_? What did you _hear_?" Worry flitted within her eyes when she asked the second question.

"I'm afraid I arrived only in time for the slap," he admitted. When he let go of her wrists, Rei immediately crossed them to form barrier between their two bodies. His smirk faded into a serious expression as he straightened to his full height.

"But if I were to guess I'd say the discussion revolved around whatever it is you fairies are trying to hide." Rei's face fell upon his words. "Or perhaps, you've only now been forced to believe what's been in front of your eyes the entire time."

"My life will always be sworn to protecting the Queen," The fairy spoke as she tossed her gaze away from him. "Regardless of how forbidden her associations may be. But I can't help but fear…" Trailing off, she met his emotionless eyes once more. "What he is- he could turn on her at any moment."

"You don't need to be concerned with that. Don't get me wrong," Seto spoke with a snarl, "I hate that blood-sucker, and when the opportunity arises I will take my revenge, but as far as Serenity is concerned... If those soul-less creatures are capable of anything akin to devotion, Yami has held that for her since the night they met."

"He wouldn't harm her? You're sure of it?" He reaffirmed with a short grunt. "That's a relief, I guess."

"But I'd caution you not to underestimate him," the werewolf spoke in a low voice. "He's no fool. He knows you all are trying, and failing miserably, to hide something concerning Serenity."

"I _really_ don't know what you're talking about." She responded and stiffened when he paid her with a throaty laugh. Rei jumped slightly when his hand drifted against her shoulder and he leaned in toward her ear.

"You're _really_ not a very good liar, either," he whispered huskily. The fairy swallowed when one of his long fingers drifted along her jaw and tilted her chip upward to look directly into his almost feral gaze.

"I could care less what it is. I'm only warning you out of courtesy," he continued quietly with a small smile tugging at his lips. "Keep it out of your mind, and if you should need any help distracting him, all you have to do is ask."

"Why would you help me? What's in it for you?" Dropping his hand away from her he leaned back and grinned.

"Oh I don't know. Seeing him continually frustrated is amusing, and after all, you and I- we _are_ friends_, _aren't we?" Something about the were's smile appeared everything but innocently intentioned. Rei's eyes darkened suspiciously.

"Comrades, yes, but to be honest you've never come off to be the friendly type."

"Maybe that's it. We do seem to have that in common, don't we?" He taunted, and smirked when she unconsciously cracked a small smile. Turning away, he took a few steps and paused to look out toward the sun that had now fallen halfway past the horizon.

"Serenity and Minako were the first fairies I'd ever met before you and that other imbecile." Seto spoke of the Fae Prince scathingly. "From what I observed it seems the true fae are inclined to be attracted to those outside of their kind. I wonder why that is."

"W-wait, what?" Rei stammered but then suddenly blushed when the towering man tossed her a glance from over his shoulder. He laughed.

"Despite the knowledge you claim to have about the Earth's races, you seem surprised that a wolf with senses as experienced as mine wouldn't be able to detect what essentially is nothing more than simple chemistry." The heat in the Fairy's face grew upon his words. "Don't be so embarrassed. Since you can't perceive it yourself, I'll formally admit the feeling on my end is mutual. You seem set on ignoring more subtle communication. In a legitimate bout you can be certain I could out power your prince or any other opponent you may consider a suitable mate." Rei's eyes flew open wide when spoke that final word.

"I-I-" she stuttered in complete disbelief to the man who stood grinning back at her.

"Just consider my offer. You prefer this world to the Moon, don't you? Why not make it yours? You needn't worry about its dangers, not while at _my_ side." Paying the shocked woman one last smile, he turned and walked toward the manor where the others were beginning to gather.

* * *

Serenity concentrated on the echo of footsteps as she and the unlikely companions made their way within the cavern at the base of the mountain. Complete silence conquered the group as an obvious tension plagued them. There had been some argument concerning who should be going to carry out the map's latest mission, but considering what had occurred a few nights before, the consensus was that it would be in everyone's best interests to stick together.

Besides still having not completely healed from the iron poisoning she had sustained recently, the ageless Queen was feeling utterly morbid about the task they were to complete. Compared to the burdens they had been ordered so far, and even to the ones made a thousand years ago, this one was the most horrifying and unsettling. In just three penned lines the magical item had ordered them to massacre two ancient dragons that lived within a precipice denoted as Cenotaph.

Jou walked just ahead of her with a torch in one hand. He was squinting toward the letters on the map as if he could decipher the ancient language he had been instructed in but never paid that much attention to in his schooling. Breathing out slowly, she tried to contain the fury she currently held for her sibling. What he had confessed to having let slip a few nights earlier was threatening her mind with persistent paranoia. Commanding her thoughts not to slide back to that memory, she focused on the dark aura that was pulsing beside her. Yami stuck to her side so closely that she could feel the heat pouring from his body within the chilly cave. Though she kept her eyes averted she could feel the presence of his intense gaze upon her even if it was just from his peripheral view.

The evening hadn't been filled with good news. Upon speaking with Yami earlier, she had discovered that a vampire - an "acquaintance" of his and Bakura's from long ago - had been the one to contract the elves to acquire him. Though he claimed to have _taken care _of it he suspected that the man, Marik, had been under the control of a Millennium item, and that the whole ordeal had been staged by Bakura, to announce to Yami that he had found and was making full use of the Millennium Rod.

"Hey, how come all the other instructions before had four lines and this one only has three?" The Prince rubbed the back of his head as he looked confoundedly upon the parchment.

"Maybe it's sick of giving stupid riddles and just cut to the chase this time." Honda responded with a shrug from where he strolled beside him.

"That's most likely not the case," Ra's voice boomed from ahead of them. He turned slightly to look back over his shoulder.

Upon seeing Ra's eyes, Serenity couldn't help but feel even more upset. This mission was unforgivable, and yet it absolutely had to be carried out if they were to be granted entrance into Babylonia. The great Dragon hadn't shown any distress upon understanding the order, but she couldn't help but worry what he felt about it. Ra was a very old creature. It was likely he knew the ones they were on their way to destroy. Perhaps they were even friends.

"Don't worry of such things," Yami's baritone voice interrupted her thoughts. Sighing lightly, she paid the mind intruder a sidelong glance and he focused his attention onto hers with conviction.

"He understands the situation and will have therefore forfeited any reluctance he might have had immediately." His red eyes appeared cold. The vampire clearly had little tolerance for anything other than his two current objectives: protect her at all costs, and complete the mission to move on.

"I know that," Serenity replied quietly, "it still doesn't stop me from worrying about his feelings." Before she could argue with him anymore her boot collided with an unyielding rock and she went tumbling forward, only to be caught by a lightning fast arm that hooked around her narrow waist. Her heart erupted in a fury of beats when she felt her back collide with the warm and solid front of the vampire's.

"Perhaps you should focus on walking rather than others." He whispered lowly into her ear in a manner that made the fairy shiver. She held back a gasp when she felt the tips of his heated fingers trail across her midriff as he shifted her to face him. His mouth was settled into a frown studying her with disapproval.

"You're still not at one-hundred percent." He commented, and though it was true, Serenity tried and failed to pull away from him.

"I'm fine," her voice cracked unconvincingly and the vampire refused to yield.

"Everything alright?" Mai questioned as she paused to look behind her where the fairy and vampire pair brought up the rear of the group.

"No," Yami replied as he moved to scoop Serenity unwillingly into his arms. "We're going back. You'll just have to finish this yourselves."

"Yami," Serenity protested and pushed against him. "This is the most dangerous mission we've had so far."

"Which is exactly why you aren't going on it."

"That is absolutely ridi-"

"Hey! There's something strange up here!" Endymion's voice cut into Serenity's retort. Turning to look ahead there appeared to be some kind of barrier blocking the way to further within the mountain.

"Stand aside, Endymion," Ra ordered and as soon as the Human King shuffled out of the way, he launched a powerful blast from his mouth, but the stone didn't move. "Magic, perhaps?" The dragon questioned aloud.

"You have got to be kidding me," Seto grumbled and stalked up toward the boulder and charged his shoulder into it with a battle cry. He unleashed a string of curses when the obstacle still didn't budge. Anzu rushed to her king's aid only to not be able to offer much help even with their combined strength. Honda just merely shook his head and Jou smirked in the annoyed werewolf's direction.

"Having a little trouble there, Seto? But I thought you were so strong." The Fae Prince taunted.

"Can it, wimp! Just be quiet, there's nothing a weakling like you could do to help besides just electrocute everyone in the process!" He howled back. Turning his angry blues where Yami stood placidly with Serenity in his arms he snarled.

"Well, are you going to be of any help blood-sucker?" Seto's roar echoed throughout the cave and Yami narrowed his eyes, contemplation etched onto his face. Serenity could tell he was considering just taking her and leaving but, against his better judgment, he gently set her on her feet. Sparing her a glance that ordered she stay put, he flashed toward the elder werewolf's side. With a clench of his bared teeth, he leveled his powerful fist into the thick rock and induced a large crack down the middle.

"Are you always going to need me to take care of you, Seto?" The vampire teased, flashing his fangs in a triumphant grin. Seto snarled and shoved his face directly into the other's.

"And I'm sure all the effort we've put into loosening it while you just stood there did nothing to assist you." He snapped sarcastically. As the two continued to provoke each other, Serenity noticed Hotaru's eyes drift to where the map was rolled up within Jou's hand. The parchment was glowing with a soft and pulsating light. When the Prince finally noticed it himself he quickly opened it and studied the foreign words.

"H-hey, Serenity. There's a fourth line being written." Rushing to the dirty blonde's side her silvery-blue eyes flicked across the penned calligraphy.

"A task to be completed with forces cut by half." She translated the last line aloud.

"What the heck does that mean?" Jou queried when suddenly a large gust sent both the siblings and a few of the others flying backward. Launching quickly into action, Jou wrapped his arms around his sovereign and broke her fall with his back colliding with the stone ground.

"Oof," he groaned, and allowed Serenity to quickly roll away from him and jump to her feet.

"What in the hell was that?" She heard Seto bellow. Focusing her eyes ahead her mouth fell upon a partially translucent barrier that separated she, Jou, Mai, Hotaru, and Honda from the rest. The golden-skinned dragon let out heavy sigh and Yami rushed to the edge of the magicked wall with a snarl. Serenity approached and let her hand drift across the vibrating surface. The vampire on the other side attempted to reach out for her and hissed when his hand connected with the surface.

"Use your abilities to take it down." Yami ordered with red eyes boring into her widened ones.

"Even if Serenity is able to, if she succeeds we'll only fail the map's instructions. It very clearly has separated us in order to force us to tactically choose which group will go on to face the adversaries within the mountain." Ra spoke up.

"Well that's an easy decision," Seto growled earning everyone's attention. "The majority of our combative force is on this side of the barrier. We'll go on to kill the dragons. The rest of you will stay." His solution seemed simple enough but Yami didn't budge from where he glowered toward Serenity at the other side. She knew him well enough to know he wasn't at all pleased with control over this situation being ripped from his grasp.

"So what are _we_ supposed to do? Just hole up in this gross cave while you see all the action?" Mai pouted.

"No," Yami rumbled tearing his eyes away from Serenity and directed them toward Mai, "the house near here, you remember it?" Mai nodded. "Go there, and nowhere else, until we meet you."

"Alright." Mai replied. She stiffened when the other narrowed his eyes. He didn't need to speak to imply a threat if she should fail to get Serenity there safely. Though the map was believed to be a non-sentient item, its choice had strategically split a few emotional relationships as well as separated its more battle-ready members from the ones who were able to heal injuries.

"Be safe, Hotaru," Endymion waved to her from the other side, earning a curt nod from the youthful girl.

"Rei!" Jou called out urgently from the barrier where the fire-wielder stood away looking from him to the petite Queen at his side.

"Just look after Queen Serenity, I'll be fine." She responded shortly.

Turning her eyes back to Yami's, she noticed they had softened upon her, brimming with worry and frustration that there was no better solution to this situation.

"Serenity…" He whispered her name almost longingly and laden with all the promises of love and devotion he had spoken to her just a few evenings before. Letting her hand fall from his against the wall she regained control of her feelings and smiled toward him unconvincingly.

"I'll see you all in a little while, ok?" And not trusting herself to look back anymore, she turned with the other's filing behind to exit the eerie mountain.

"Queen Serenity," Hotaru broke the silence cradling the night. "Will King Endymion and the others be alright without us?" She asked worriedly.

"Yami, Seto and Ra are the most powerful beings I've ever known. I believe with all my heart that they, and the others, will return back to us safely." She spoke warmly to the girl who nodded and turned her gaze ahead. Truthfully, worry plagued the fairy's mind though she did her best to hide it. She prayed everyone would come back alive from the mountain, but the pit of her stomach still wrenched in apprehension. There was something about this situation that was very unsettling, though she couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was.

Concentrating on her surroundings as they approached a more heavily wooded area, a nostalgic feeling reigned within her senses. The smell of the air and the feeling of the soft ground beneath her feet gave her a strange sensation of déjà vu.

"Mai," Serenity called softly to the vampires who led ahead of them. "How far are we from Old Land Fae?"

"Just outside its official borders," the blonde responded and tossed her a glance from over her shoulder. "We're not far from our destination but perhaps we should move a little quicker. I can smell that elves have been here but I can't tell how recently." Pausing in her steps, she scanned over everyone stopping her eyes upon Hotaru. Pulling her mouth into a small smirk she held out her finger and curled it in a come-hither gesture.

"Come here girl," she spoke alluringly. "I'll have to carry you because you'll be to slow." Hotaru's eyes widened and she blushed when Honda promptly lifted her tiny form into his arms.

"Yeah right, like she'd want to be carried by some creepy vampire. I got it." He announced. Mai huffed.

"And that's what I get for trying to be nice." Shifting a hand to her waist she parted her lips to give further instruction but the words were silenced with a _whoosh _of flying objects cutting through the air.

It had all occurred so quickly that Serenity could barely perceive the ambush that befell on her and her comrades. Her disorient had kicked in immediately, and she struggled to move or react as quickly as she might have if she hadn't still be under the effects of her injuries. Though the strength of Mai and Honda should have alone been able to out power the attacking elves, their sheer numbers and organization among the trees had given them a huge advantage. Jou was rushing desperately to protect her frozen form, slashing his sword and sending electrifying bolts of attacks in a skewed direction.

A strangled cry shook Serenity from her trance, and she threw her attention to the source. Her heart thudded to a stop upon witnessing Mai having thrown her body over Hotaru's smaller one with several arrows sticking out of her back. Without a second thought she rushed over to them and crumbled to her knees, only to watch in horror as Mai was trying to force blood from her bitten wrist to the girl's lifeless mouth.

"She-she-" Mai started but Serenity quickly butted between them. With hovering hands over the girl she gritted her teeth and concentrated on healing her. Looking away from the injury gaping in her chest, she focused on the young one's hollow orbs and the sounds of growls and screams surrounding them suddenly became silent.

"Q-queen Serenity," Hotaru managed to utter as her eyes gazed up into the canopy of the warring trees. "You must be protected." The words left her in a whisper. Serenity's eyes flashed with panic and she focused every ounce of energy she could muster into healing the girl's wounds, but the light enveloping her hands dissipated. Her weakened arms fell, and the tears came quickly after. Serenity's will alone wasn't enough to save her upon having lost the stamina necessary to do so. The blonde barely fought back when a rough hand clamped over her mouth and pulled her into the body of another.

"She's the one." The male's voice affirmed and crumpled the weakened Fairy's small body within his arms. "Gather the captured. His majesty will want to account for all of them."

* * *

"_Serenity,"_ _a feminine voice spoke softly. With a small groan, Serenity cracked her eyes open and quickly squeezed them shut again when they were greeted by blindingly bright light._

"_Have you fallen asleep studying again, dear?" The familiar voice sounded again. Releasing a small laugh, the young fairy lifted her head from her arms and smiled cheekily toward her eternally beautiful mother._

"_Care to remind me again why I need to know all this stuff?" The elder laughed gracefully in response. Everything the Queen of the Fae did was something to be admired. The way she carried herself with perfect elegance, or could bring light to even the darkest places, would leave those around her stunned in their marveling. The younger Serenity had always looked up to her, and that would never change._

_Moving away from the table the platinum-haired sovereign paused to peel back the sheer curtains and gaze out into the sun that shone brightly into the afternoon._

"_I suppose retaining all of this knowledge may seem overly laborious, but I'm afraid it's imperative that the precious heir to our Kingdom know all of it." She turned her silvery gaze upon her daughter with a small smile._

"_Heir?" Serenity asked amusedly, "Have you forgotten that you're our eternal Queen? My father the forever exalted King? Don't think you can pass all of your responsibilities over to me so easily." She leaned her chin into the palms of her upturned hands, and blinked when her mother's smile faded and she turned back to the window._

"_Immortality is never a guarantee, my sweet Serenity. Please, never forget how quickly even the most precious and innocent life can be stolen forever." Serenity frowned as she watched pain sweep through her mother's otherwise angelic features. Even though nearly thirty years had passed since her aunt – her dear cousin's mother – had been mercilessly slaughtered at the hand of the Elven King her death still affected the Queen at times as if it had only happened yesterday. Sitting back in her seat, Serenity wrought her hands together and focused on the form seated on the window sill. _

_The death of her mother's sister had changed everyone's lives, forever. The atrocious act had been meant to provoke the peaceful fairies into going to war over the Fae Lands, which was a highly coveted and beautiful place that the imperialist elves just couldn't resist. It had been a surprise to the entire Earth when all the fairies had chosen to leave rather than retaliate. Though the race had found a halcyon existence in their new kingdom, it was still somewhat bothersome to Serenity that in the end it seemed the elves had won and their horrendous deed had gone unpunished._

"_You don't have to worry about that, mother," Serenity gently broke the silence. "There are no monsters in our home. Not anymore." Turning back to the student surrounded by books at a small table, the Queen smiled once again._

"_Tell me, Serenity, do you ever miss it?"_

"_Miss what?" She asked as she goofily attempted to balance a pencil on the bridge of her nose._

"_Earth." Letting the utensil fall to the table Serenity stared with her jaw hanging wide._

"_N-no, of course not. I mean, I was only five when we left and this has really been the only home I've ever known." The young woman explained. When her mother's searching gaze didn't cease, she shrugged and crossed her arms against the bodice of her white dress._

"_Well, I guess I do dream about it, sometimes." She admitted, to which her mother merely nodded._

"_You've been studying history as of late, correct?" The youth laughed._

"_Mother, I am always studying history! Really, it's so boring!"_

"_Good. Then I suppose you'd be able to tell me if I asked you: what is a God?" Serenity shifted in her seat as she pondered the question._

"_It depends on which ones you're speaking of. I've studied most of the deities of the Earthlings and, well, to be honest, not all of them could fit just one definition." Upon her words, her mother turned from the window and rushed to the table as if there was something urgent that she must tell her. Clasping her hands around Serenity's the elder woman locked gazes with her surprised daughter._

"_Gods are unlike the rest of us. Beings in our world and the others were all given the power to destroy. Only a God can create life from the will of its heart alone." Relinquishing the other's clasped hands the younger opened her fingers to look upon the beginnings of a budding flower that was encased in a bright light dancing upon her palm. Her mother smiled toward the small bloom and looked back into her daughter's gaze with earnest._

"_One day, Serenity, the beings of our old world will need the power of a God, and they will come looking for you. You may have been told that you were born with my abilities, but believe me when I say that they far transcend my own." The young girl's eyes widened upon the honored Queen who had a few uncharacteristic tears trailing down her face. "Promise me Serenity, that when the time comes you will be stronger than I was." She pleaded, to which Serenity could only stare. "And if there is ever a time you cannot find the strength within yourself, allow __**him **__to be it for you."_

"_Him? What? W-who?" Serenity asked, her eyes clouding over in confusion. The Queen merely laughed and lifted a hand to daintily erase her tears._

"_I promise you. One day, you will know."_

"_O-ok, I promise you, too, Mother."_

* * *

Awaking groggily from her sleep, Serenity was sitting upright in a plush chair, but unlike the memory she had recalled in a dream, she was now chained to the armrest. She could feel the iron of the shackles threatening to attack her vulnerable skin, but thankfully these cuffs were fully lined with wraps of fine cloth. Focusing her gaze around the room she ascertained that she was in a study of some sort. The sun had now risen and was peeking through the heavy scarlet curtains at the end of the room. Squinting her eyes in the presence of the bright sunlight, she was able to make out the silhouette of an unfamiliar figure seated at the opposite end of the spanning table. Wrapping a ringed set of fingers around a goblet, he took a small sip just before standing and sauntering his way toward her.

Serenity felt her body go stiff when the stranger came into view. His stature was moderately tall and was dressed pristinely in white with a royal blue cape clasped just over his shoulders. His sapphire orbs were focused securely on her but were only partially visible beneath shaggy wisps of purely white hair. When he reached to brush his long bangs aside, she further balked upon noticing the bell of his ear came to a tell-all narrow point. She constricted her gaze poisonously when he swirled his glass of wine and settled to lean against the edge of the table just beyond her.

"Greetings, Queen Serenity," The man spoke richly just before taking a drink. "May I say, though I've been told of your beauty, the words used now seem offensive when comparing them to the lady they were meant to describe." He charmed. Truthfully, in any other circumstance she might have found this man devilishly handsome but she could sense without knowing him that he held nothing but selfish and wicked intentions.

"_You_." Serenity spoke gutturally and felt a shiver of fury travel across her form. He only chuckled at that.

"You recognize me as well? We have never met. We've only corresponded via letters, I'm afraid. I am Diamond, the King of Old Land Fae and the future ruler of the rest of this world." The Elven King, a descendant to the man who had murdered her aunt, spoke his title and coyly reached for her hand. "Oh," he said in feigned surprised upon eyeing her shackles. "I do apologize for your current restraints. My security is a bit over zealous at times."

"What do you want?" Serenity practically screeched. "Where are my companions?"

"Shhh," the man coaxed reaching a hand out to brush away her blonde bangs. He let out a small gasp upon capturing a glimpse of her beautiful, albeit angry, crystalline orbs.

"They're all alive, and within my palace." He reassured, but then clicked his tongue. "Actually, there was one unfortunate casualty. The human girl could not be resuscitated, I'm afraid. My condolences," His last statement wasn't genuine and being once again reminded of Hotaru's death made her chest clench in pain. Fighting back her tears, she continued to glare up at him with a renewed vehemence.

"I had heard rumors that Queen of the Moon was currently visiting our great planet. Though I hardly entertain common gossip I stationed my armies to be on the lookout, just in case. I'm so pleased to have you here as my guest." Serenity sucked in a calming breath as she regarded the man who was clearly trying to provoke her.

"As I stated before in my letters, I have forfeited both verbally and in writing any rights I could possibly claim to your kingdom. You have absolutely nothing to benefit from my capture." The Queen spoke firmly. Again, Diamond laughed. His chuckles continued for a short while, until he paused to take a drink from his beverage, and once again returned to her his mirth-filled attention.

"I care not for such things. As I said before, I am the rightful ruler of this world and anyone who claims it as their own is merely nothing more than an ant I will crush in my path to glory." The man spoke pompously. "I have _invited _you here to address the subject you've so cleverly danced around in our previous correspondences. Seeing now that I have your full and undivided attention, I was hoping you might accept my proposal."

"You'll have to refresh my memory." Serenity attempted to sound civil. Pulling his lips into a cruel smile, he let his fingers drift under her chin and lifted her face to gaze directly into his darkened eyes.

"Don't be so coy," He whispered. "I know you remember my offer and I really hate not getting what I want. Be my bride, Serenity. Produce me an heir worthy of my kingdom and be the Queen to rule all the lands and seas beneath the sun at my side."

"I'm sorry, but I'll have to decline." Serenity responded immediately. She sounded formal but her calm demeanor quickly waned when he continued to smile.

"I thought you might say that, after all there's a rather unflattering rumor stuck to your reputation I'm afraid." Serenity didn't flinch when he leaned in toward her face. She could smell the ambrosia of fermented grapes on his breath, but there was something dark within his gaze that shook her away from any feelings of attraction to the well-structured man.

"They say the stunning Moon Queen prefers the company of _monsters _in her bed." His words had a peculiar sting to them almost as if they were a threat. "Or at least one in particular," Serenity quivered when he licked his lips and his eyes fell half-lidded. "I wonder," he whispered and the shackled Queen could do nothing when he leaned in and pressed his lips against hers.

She felt like she was suffocating beneath his kiss. This man's aura was one of the most vile she had ever encountered and she was smothered by it while trapped beneath his bruising mouth. Pulling away he drew in an exhilarating breath. His gaze was electrified upon her horrified visage.

"I do not fear the so called 'Vampire King'," Diamond hissed to her as he allowed his fingers to tangle roughly into the back of her blonde strands. "I will crush him and anyone else that stands in my way. Choose me and be on the side of triumph, Serenity. Come to me willingly and I'll allow your friends to live." Before she could cry out he attacked her mouth again. He bit down on her fleshy bottom lip with just enough force to be painful but not draw blood. As he fought for her submission, Serenity felt the fury dwelling within swarm to her stomach. Recalling the memory that visited her in the form of a dream she tried her best to picture her mother's lovely face and remember her plea.

She had, in not so many words claimed she was the God this world needed, but what good would that do her now? Her mother had asked her to be strong, but she was not. In what Universe could a person be considered strong if they could be stopped by merely being shackled by a common metal and become a helpless prisoner to an evil man's perversion? She hadn't been able to save Hotaru in her weakness and now she hadn't any choice but to acquiesce to this monster if she wanted to save the others.

It all wasn't good enough, this person she had become.

Jerking her head away from him, he only grabbed onto her hair and kissed her more ferociously as if her resistance only further fed his lust. Suddenly, at the very peak of her anger and despair she sensed a ball of raw power within her. It was begging her to hold it, as if it was the only way it could ever be free. Crushing her eyelids closed, she summoned it forward and expelled it from her like a shooting star that was equally as bright.

King Diamond went flying away from her and was knocked halfway across the room. The light escaped her with an impassioned scream from her lungs and it wasn't long after that the chains around her wrists dissipated into a useless pile of dust on the floor. Leaping from her seat she tore to the doorway ignoring Diamond's call for his guards as she escaped into the hallway. She had only one mission in mind and there was nothing that was going to stop her.

Unbeknown to the elves that were hunting her she knew this Palace better than they did having fully explored it as a child. Approaching a particular wall she quickly pulled a few of bricks out of place that were thankfully still loose even though a thousand years had passed. She hurriedly entered the opening and replaced the stone behind her so that no one would know the wiser.

It wasn't long before she managed to find the dungeons that were never used when she had lived there as a girl. Sure enough she spotted two familiar figures that were helplessly chained to the wall. Lifting his eyes from beneath his hair, Jou's eyes brightened upon seeing his sister alive.

"Serenity!" He croaked.

"Quiet!" She hissed in response and quickly made way to them.

"Iron," Jou mumbled quietly and Serenity frowned upon spying her sibling's injured wrists. Pointing her finger to the lock a bright light escaped that sent it falling to the floor like a piece of scrap metal. Giving the other shackle the same treatment she moved to do the same to Honda's. Both of the men looked pretty beat up but Jou was in a lot worse condition considering the common fairy allergy to iron.

"Where's Mai?" Serenity asked worriedly. There wasn't time for any more questions if they were going to get out of there quickly.

"She's over there!" Honda noticed suddenly. Turning her head she gaped upon seeing the vampire that was convulsing under a patch of sunlight from one of the rare windows. Rushing to her, the three quickly pulled her out of the sun. She was unconscious. The sun wouldn't kill her but it had completely paralyzed her body and was surely causing her an unimaginable amount of pain.

"We need to get out of here fast. But we need to protect her from the sun." Serenity spoke in a hushed voice, praying the guards wouldn't be coming down to check on the prisoners any time soon. Whipping a cloak out of his subspace satchel, Jou hurriedly wrapped it completely around the vampiress and groaned when he attempted to lift her in his arms.

"I'll carry her," Honda said taking her from his arms. "You look pretty beat."

"Uh- are you sure I mean she is a-"Jou began but paused under Honda's narrowed eyes.

"She put her life on the line for Hotaru and all of us. If that doesn't make her a companion I don't know what does." The werewolf grumbled as he securely fastened the woman within his brawny hold.

They decided their best bet was to escape out of the dungeon's high window that was a tight fit but they surprisingly got through it without much trouble. Moving stealthily around the Palace walls Jou couldn't manage to keep his mouth shut.

"How did you escape? What happened? Are you all right? How did you learn to do that destructo thingy with your powers?" He rambled.

"Shh!" Honda hissed and all three of them paused with their backs to the tall Palace's wall. "I can hear and smell elves approaching this way."

"Too late," A voice said from their right. Flashing their collective gaze in the direction of the voice the conscious three balked upon seeing at least fifty elves with a variety of weapons in hand.

"Surrender now, or die!" The elf at the front roared.

"Serenity, Honda, get back. I'll handle this!" Jou ordered of them.

"No-" The Moon Queen began to protest but was interrupted by a deafening roar that came from the sky above. Everyone, elves included, turned their eyes to the sky to witness a large and dark shadow that blotted out the sun. The bellow grew louder as a large and white-blue blast rained down upon the elven army that scattered for cover. A gigantic and sky-blue skinned dragon landed heavily to the ground below and knocked the remaining elves out of the way with a mighty whip of his tail. Serenity's eyes flooded with memory upon the creature and a relieved smile spread across her face.

"Blue-Eyes!" She called out loudly to great beast. He had grown immensely since she had last saw him and was likely bigger than even his father Ra, the prodigious Dragon King.

"Serenity!" He boomed toward her and quickly shuffled to hover over the much smaller group. "I had received word from my father that you had returned to the Earth to journey to Babylonia. When I overheard a few elves bragging about having captured you I had to make sure it wasn't true. I'm glad I got here when I did, you three- Wait, four, look pretty beat up." He said eyeing the cloaked figure in Honda's arms.

"She's a vampire!" Jou hollered up to the larger creature. "We need to get her somewhere dark as fast as we can!"

"No problem," The Dragon named Blue-Eyes said with a nod. "I know a few secluded caves the elves won't be able to get to before the days' out without learning to fly first. I can get you all there quick." Just as he leaned down to assist them on his back a rain of arrows came down from one of the Castle's upper walls. "Take cover!" The dragon bellowed and stretched out his wing over them allowing the arrows to bounce off harmlessly from his leathery skin.

"Looks like we might need to take out some of these assholes first," Honda growled.

"I agree," Blue-Eyes' voice rolled. "A few blasts ought to do it!" Just as he reared back to counter attack a commanding voice made him pause.

"Halt!" Shifting his wing so that the others could see the man standing at the ledge, Serenity's eyes clouded over upon bearing witness to where King Diamond stood among his army and several body guards. She smirked a little to herself when she noticed a large red stain on the front of his silken shirt. It was from his wine when she had sent him flying across the room with a newfound power.

"Allow Queen Serenity and her heathen friends to leave if they wish, I assure you, when all is said and done she'll come crawling back and begging for me to take her back." He announced haughtily.

"Take her back?" Jou demanded heatedly toward the Elf King. "You never had her in the first place!" Lifting up his hand, he extended his middle finger angrily, but the pompous King showed absolutely no concern for him.

"You are all welcome to go free for now." Diamond continued. "But I do wish to ask you just one favor, Serenity." He said smirking down toward her. "When you see that vampire lover of yours once more, whatever name he goes by, be sure to tell him that unlike all the rest of the cowards on this planet that _I'm _not afraid of him." Climbing alongside the others onto Blue-Eyes' back, Serenity looked once more to the smiling King before they took off into the skies.

"If I did what you asked, and informed the _Vampire_ _King_ of everything else you had done," She paused to narrow her eyes. "You would have nothing more in this life to look forward to than the death that would end your misery." She spoke coldly, and didn't look back to see his expression when Blue-Eyes took off into the sunny sky.

"Until we meet again, Serenity!" Diamond yelled after her wearing a triumphant smile as he watched them disappear.

* * *

Firstly, I want to give a **_special thank you_** to _**Dustfinger's cheering section**_ for agreeing and taking the time to 'beta' this chapter for me (and hopefully the remaining ones if she wasn't so appalled by it! lol)

And **THANK YOU **to those who reviewed last time: **SailorVmoon1311815, Fire Dolphin, Serena-hime, Krissy, Yami Nocturna, Sakura Waldorf, MichUsa, Saris Yui, Sesshy's Mistress, RoseMouto2010, Cosmic-lover, Rach, more more more, kat, AndiB, Septima, Tempest S, **and **a1m9a8n8da**.

Sorry I took so long with this guys, ^^*, I think I was kind of dreading writing it because I knew it wouldn't have a ton of Yami/Serenity interaction and that you guys might kill me! But I promise, it'll alllll be worth it for the reunion in the next chapter (at least, I hope!)

It really means a lot to me that you all support this story! Thanks again, so much! (Oh, and I changed my pen-name, I guess that's obvious, no reason why, really, lol)

~El3


	16. Fae Virtue

The Ostiary

El3v3n

**All characters belong to their respective owners.**

Fae Virtue

"Why did you do it?"

Jou's half-lidded eyes snapped to attention. Standing from where he sat against the cave's wall he hurried to the vampire's side. Mai lie still in the blankets that had been tenderly wrapped around her. Her blonde locks fanned across a pillow that had been one of the items retrieved from the contents in Serenity's subspace pocket.

"Hey," Jou spoke softly, crouching down to her side. His gaze was gentle upon her, hazel irises just barely flickering with the meager firelight in the darkness.

"You're finally awake." He observed with a small smile crossing his lips. She didn't return it.

"Why did you bother to save me?" She croaked barely above a whisper. A look of anguish tinged with fury swept across her face and Jou frowned.

"I'm a vampire," she spoke the word as if she loathed it. "I wouldn't have done the same for you."

"Yeah, well that's a load of bullshit." Another voice came from beyond them. Honda stepped toward them and narrowed his gaze down to the injured woman.

"I never thought I'd see the day where a vampire would put her life on the line for a human. And for that you've earned my respect. We're all comrades on a journey to stop this thing, so stop trying to pretend like you don't feel the same. It's pathetic." The werewolf crossed his arms as he spoke. Jou could only blink while Mai turned her head away from the looming man with an angry flush lighting her cheeks.

"Mai, are you alright?" Serenity approached the small group. She had been trying to rest until nightfall but she couldn't help but continue to agonize over what had occurred that evening.

Hotaru was gone and despite all the power within her she couldn't do anything about it.

Things had quickly spun out of control from the moment she had arrived on Earth and up until this moment she had taken every challenge in stride. An innocent girl, a friend, had been lost forever. And, as if things couldn't get worse, she truly had no idea if the other half of their group would make it out of the mountain alive.

"I'm healing pretty quickly. I should be able to move around by nightfall." Mai's reply interrupted Serenity's lingering thoughts.

"I've tried to heal you but your body doesn't seem to be receptive to it." Serenity kneeled at her brother's side.

"It's alright," Mai reassured groggily, shifting her aching body within the blankets. "Like I said, I just need more time."

"Blood would help the process along, wouldn't it?" Serenity questioned softly. The moment the suggestion left her lips Mai twitched and her violet eyes swelled with ache. Honda shifted uncomfortably.

"I may be warming up to this idea of being friends with a vampire and all that, but this is a bit too much for me." With a shiver he turned away to look into the emptiness of the dark cave.

"It's alright Mai, here," Serenity pulled back the sleeve of her jacket to study her wrist. "You can bite me." Mai jerked violently with what strength she had to turn away from the fairy siblings.

"No!" She protested through gritted fangs, "Stay away!"

"Please Mai," Serenity begged as she hovered over her. "This is all my fault. If Diamond hadn't targeted me Hotaru wouldn't be gone, and you wouldn't be injured. And if Yami wasn't so damned protective-"

"Do you have any idea what he'd do to me if I bit you?" Mai seethed toward the cave wall. "Death would be preferable." Serenity's eyes widened and she reached out to lightly touch her shoulder.

"I'm giving you permission-"

"It doesn't matter!" Mai's voice was raspy as she cringed away from the other's touch.

"Then take blood from me." Jou spoke up. Before Serenity could respond with a sisterly protest, Jou had leaned forward and effortlessly pulled the weakened woman into his arms. Her squirming within his grasp was futile.

"Don't worry. Yami could give a damn about me." He reassured her with a small smile. Serenity came to stand keeping a watchful eye on the two. In her current state Mai was starved and she imagined her weakness was all that was coming between a needy vampire and what it wanted.

"So, uh," Jou swallowed, "how does this work?" He finished nervously. Mai groaned.

"The wrist is the safest," she spoke exhaustedly.

"R-right," Repositioning her in his arms, he rolled up the sleeve of his jacket under her watchful gaze. "So, uh, one more question. Will it hurt?" A sweep of pain fluttered through her eyes as she looked into his apprehensive stare.

"I-I don't remember how it felt." She spoke honestly. Jou nodded and puffed out his chest.

"That's alright, don't worry about it. I'm really tough. I just wanted to know." Serenity fought the urge to turn away when Mai sunk her sharp fangs into the other's wrist. To the fairy's credit he barely flinched and focused on the woman's eyes as the life force from his body flowed into her mouth. After a few moments the Fae Queen began to feel uncomfortable as she observed the two.

Mai's eyes fluttered shut and she released barely audible cries of pleasure of being allowed the man's blood. Jou didn't appear to be in any pain, his face displayed quite the opposite. He watched her with tranquil eyes, releasing small sighs in response to the soft sounds she was making. Reminding herself she was only watching the intimate display to ensure Jou wouldn't be hurt she couldn't help but think about her own estranged lover.

Yami had never bit her, which she had always been thankful for, because the thought of it was terrifying. But if it was in actuality pleasant rather than terrible she wondered why he hadn't ever tried. It was almost as if she was witnessing a bond that wasn't quite there before being formed between the two. The loving gaze held in her brother's eyes was one she had never seen, even in Rei's presence.

Maybe she'd never know why, it wasn't very likely she'd ever get the chance to ask Yami about such things. Even if the two of them managed to survive this quest, what happened then? It was her duty to return to the Moon after all of this for many reasons, but most importantly she longed to once again hold Rini safe in her embrace.

It had taken her hundreds of years to let go of the love she wasn't certain she felt and even longer to stop dreaming about the shape of his face or the sound of his voice. Coming back to this world only to realize that she had loved Yami all along and having to accept that it would all again be taken away was crueler than anything Zorc could do to her. She knew she needed to keep her focus on getting them back to the others safely, but imagining a glimpse of her future only showed despair. Could she really go on living without Yami _again_?

Mai pulled away from Jou's arm with a gasp but wasted no time in carefully passing her tongue over the wound inducing it to fully heal. The Fae Prince looked to his wrist in amazement and smiled goofily toward the woman whose face was tinged with a blush.

"Hey! That wasn't so bad. Actually, it felt pretty nice." He wobbled a bit but steadied himself with his hands against the ground.

"You may not want to stand up for a while, Jou," Serenity spoke.

"I didn't take much blood," Mai said, feeling well enough now to finally sit up without Jou's assistance. "But I feel worlds better now, thank you, Jou," she continued, flicking her gaze to him. The lightheaded fairy snickered.

"Anytime!" He grinned to which the vampire, who was now in much higher spirits, smirked.

"So what was all of that about back there?" Honda approached now that the blood-letting was over. "Though I wouldn't put it past an asshole like him, I'm guessing he didn't have us all kidnapped for nothing." Allowing a heavy sigh to escape, Serenity searched for the words to explain without the embarrassing details but Jou quickly beat her to it.

"He was after you, right, Serenity?" His smile faded as he spoke. She searched for his gaze, but it was lost beneath his bangs as he tilted his head to the floor.

"This world, the one I never knew until now was always the one I was meant to be in. Our parents gave all of that up. And for what? So that Diamond guy could rule in their place only to bully and murder the innocent?" Jou's voice carried darkly through the cave. Serenity pursed her lips.

"You already know the answer to that, Jou," She spoke quietly. Jou snapped his hazel eyes that were full of heat up toward her.

"Yeah, I know. I've heard the explanations, maybe a million times. I get that fighting and war goes against what we believe in, but that still doesn't make standing aside and doing nothing about Diamond's crimes right!"

"Jou-" Serenity began to protest but paused when her sibling came to his feet and approached her.

"You used to tell me what it was like to live in that Palace, do you remember that? In the time you lived there did the King and Queen order a single person kidnapped or killed?"

"You know that they would have never. Jou, leaving Old Land Fae was not my decision, Mother and Father they-"

"They aren't in charge anymore, are they?" He cut her off. Serenity's eyes widened in disbelief. Jounouchi had always been one to speak his mind but what he was alluding to was bold, even for him.

"I don't know if the fairies abandoning the Earth was ever the right thing to do, maybe it was at the time but what I do know now is that ain't no longer a good solution. I refuse to sit back and let that tyrant tear apart the world they used to love." Jou focused his gaze down seriously toward her. "When we get done taking care of Zorc, I ain't going back to the Moon. I'm taking Diamond down."

"That's your solution?" Serenity practically screeched with passion rising in her chest. "To fight killing with more killing? Have you learned nothing?"

"I've learned plenty!" Jou shouted. "Fighting back maybe ain't right, but in my eyes, doing nothing while he oppresses those helpless to stop him is worse."

"I'm in." Honda interjected. Both fairies flashed their eyes in the werewolf's direction and he smirked.

"The Elf King has been burning down cities and destroying lives for far too long. Last night was just the final straw. I imagine I could get a few friends to help too." He gave Jou a thumbs up.

"Me too," Mai's sultry voice sounded with a smile crossing her face. "Anything to help the Thunder God, not to mention I owe this _King_ a piece of my mind." She added with a wicked flash of her fangs. Turning away from them a sardonic laugh passed through the Queen's lips.

Of course none of them truly understood. Abandoning the Earth those many years ago had never been about running away, it had been a sacrifice. Jou had been too young to recognize it, their grief that had been dulled by nearly a hundred years, but Serenity still recalled it with perfect memory.

Her late father had been a legendary being. It had been certainly within his power to single handedly defeat Diamond's ancestor and whatever army stood with him. And though he never said it, Serenity always believed that he wished he had.

She remembered those times she'd caught him looking out toward the Earth alone with a foreign flicker in his normally gentle and large brown eyes. He would've crushed them; struck each and every one of them down where they stood if it could have somehow undid their horrendous crime. He'd have done it even though it went against everything he believed in because they had dared to hurt his family.

It was then she realized how noble they had been in surrendering the Old Kingdom. As a pair, a force of creation and destruction, they had everything necessary to be indomitable, but did nothing because of a principle they stood by to the very end: to live on without _ever_ harboring hate in their heart. With the image of their proud and smiling faces in her thoughts, the late Queen's words resurfaced in her head.

"_Promise me Serenity, that when the time comes you will be stronger than I was."_

How could she do as she asked when she and her father had given up everything for that purpose? Suddenly, the memory hit her with a blinding revelation. Her mother had been begging her to give up _more_. Turning their backs on the world she and the King had still retained their honor: a fairy was never to maim out of hatred or kill. Even in going after Zorc, they had aimed just to seal him away.

Letting her eyes flick to Jou she noticed they were all staring toward her as if they were expecting either a tongue lashing or a profound explanation.

"_And if there is ever a time you cannot find the strength within yourself, allow **him** to be it for you."_

The sight of the others faded from her vision and for a moment Serenity thought she was hallucinating. She saw Yami standing before her, hands tucked leisurely into his pockets with his head cocked to one side. His intense red eyes were flushed in amusement as he leaned in closer to her smaller stature. Drawing a hand forward she swore she could almost feel the tips of his fingers at her cheek, the heat of his breath against her rosy lips. A shiver racked through her when he showed his fangs to her in a devilish grin.

Could she really let this man kill for her? He already had, and gleefully so, just without her blessing or any sort of permission. Being righteous meant not picking and choosing between moral absolutes, but while basking in the presence of this provocative monster the idea of allowing Yami to vanquish her enemies while she protected her kingdom was a tempting prospect. She'd already allowed herself to be touched by his hands; hands that had ripped out hearts. And how many times had she kissed him, brushed her tongue against the fronts of those fangs knowing that they were once sunk into another's screaming flesh?

Smiling wryly, she finally returned to reality. Attempting to identify herself as a person who could even rival her parents' nobility was a farce. She had sacrificed her own fairy virtue years before, but if she died trying she'd ensure Jou and Rini kept theirs. Turning her back to them she began walking away.

"Keep your voices down. Blue Eyes is trying to sleep and it'll be night soon enough. You three should try to rest too."

"Serenity," Jou spoke her true name quietly, and she paused in her steps but didn't turn around. "I know we can defeat Diamond, but I also know the Fae Kingdom can never again be as it was meant to unless you're the Queen." Wordlessly, Serenity walked further ahead toward the cave's entrance.

* * *

"Don't struggle," Seto ordered gruffly. Rei ignored him, shifting against his chest from where she was being carted away in his arms.

"I-I'm fine," she replied unconvincingly and winced when she tried to swing her right leg toward the ground.

"You only sprained your knee but if you keep moving it like that you may do some serious damage." He growled.

Blushing and looking away from him, Rei remained silent until the werewolf finally came to a stop. They had traveled away from where they had battled and defeated the dragons within the mountain, but even at this distance the smell of blood from the massacre that had occurred still hung in the air. Since it was well into the afternoon daylight hours, they had decided to catch their bearings within the cave until it was suitable for all parties to travel to their next location. Seto leaned down and gently sat the fairy on the ground, propping her up against the cave wall. Glancing toward her arm his eyes fell upon a few scrapes that were just barely bleeding. Reaching down to the fabric of his already torn shirt he ripped off a piece in order to wrap the wounds.

"It isn't serious," Rei all but snapped.

"Any bleeding wound is serious with a blood sucker around." Seto said with a smirk.

"Where is that vamp anyway?" Anzu asked, scanning her eyes over their small group.

"Most likely off sulking," the great dragon bringing up the rear said with a slight chuckle, "I'm sure he's ready to tear down this cave as if it would help him get to Serenity any sooner. Those two are quite the pair aren't they?" He asked with smiling eyes. Rei merely turned her head away.

"Not really," Endymion spoke grumpily, just prior to plopping down on the ground a few feet from the dark haired fairy. Clearing his large throat, Ra turned his red eyes upon Seto.

"Though we won't be traveling yet I am going outdoors to find a lake of some sort." Pain swept through his eyes as he gestured to the mix of his own and the other dragons' dried blood against his golden skin. "Is there anything I can bring back for you all?"

"I was going to go myself," the tall werewolf replied. "Some bedding, food and water would do both Rei and the human some good." He said flicking his harsh blue gaze upon the fairy.

"I don't need anything," Rei spoke through gritted teeth.

"I'll go with you," Anzu stepped forward and Seto nodded.

"You'll look after Re,i won't you Endymion?"Ra asked kindly, "She's incapacitated at the moment, though I don't smell anything menacing within the cave."

"Sure, no problem," the human breathed tiredly as both the werewolves and Ra started retreating.

"I don't need looking after!" Rei screeched, the echo of her voice bouncing through the huge mountain's walls. Sighing in exasperation, she looped her arms against her one bent leg and slammed her forehead against the uninjured knee.

About an hour passed and neither Endymion nor Rei spoke to one another. Only the incessant sound of dripping water could be heard in the emptiness of the cavern.

"Hey," Endymion's voice was hoarse. "That water doesn't sound like it's too far from here. I have a canteen, would you like some?" Rei turned her violet eyes upon him and licked her lips that were on the verge of cracking from being so dry. After a few moments she responded with a curt nod. He came to his feet and revealed the small bottle attached to his hip.

"If it's too far I'll turn around. If you see or hear anything strange just yell, alright?" Rei glared at his back as he walked away.

After he had disappeared completely from her sight she looked back to her injured leg. Contorting her face in determination she attempted to bend her knee and bit back a howl of pain. Clenching her teeth she steadied her hands against the cave wall and ever so slowly used the combined strength of her arms and legs to stand. Sucking in a breath she removed her hands from the wall allowing her weight to fully rely on her legs. Almost immediately her injured knee buckled and she went tumbling backward only to fall into another's arms.

"Careful," a velvety voice sounded, "I believe Seto told you to stay off that leg. Correct?" Rei stiffened within the vampire's hold, who only smirked as he helped her back onto the ground. The fairy looked up in horror into red eyes that looked particularly devoid of any care for her well-being.

"Try not to look so tense." Yami teased as he tilted his head to one side. "We're all on the same team, aren't we? I was only trying to assist you." Ignoring his suggestion, Rei began to tremble when Yami fluidly moved to take a seat beside her at a hardly comfortable distance. Several moments passed with the two not exchanging any words. The fairy watched him out of the corner of her eye as he leisurely leaned against the rocky wall as if it was a comfortable seat.

"You should really do better to look after your health. I'm sure your daughter is expecting you to return home in one piece." He commented idly. Her face deadpanned upon him, and she quickly turned to look at her hands. Beads of sweat began to form on her brow.

"Yes, I'm making every effort to return to her safely." She babbled. Yami leaned in and placed a seemingly innocuous hand on her shoulder. Jumping beneath his touch, she met his searching eyes with a startled expression.

"You don't seem to be surprised I know of her," he calmly pointed out and leaned in toward her ear. "I thought it was supposed to be a secret." He whispered sinisterly. Jerking away from him she lost her balance and fell to her back. With lightning speed Yami was hovering over her, hands on either side of the ground beyond her shoulders.

"Rini," the name rolled off his tongue as he analyzed her horrified stare. "Pink hair and such a unique way of wearing it; it's very pretty though, isn't it? You know, she almost-" his words suddenly fell dead. His throat clenched and the sound of crumbling stone filled the cavern as the vampire dug his fingers into the ground below. Rei inhaled sharply when his eyes began to glow more brightly than their normal otherworldly hue.

"Who-" Yami nearly choked on the word and pulled his upper lip into a vicious snarl. "Who is the father?" He roared, shattering the cave's calm air with his ear piercing screech. The fairy began to shake uncontrollably.

"I-I-I…" She could only stutter as she gaped toward the terrifying man above her.

"WHO IS THE FATHER OF SERENITY'S CHILD?" He screamed. Suddenly, the clang of an object sounded into the cave, and a canteen rolled harmlessly away from Yami's back.

"I am!" Endymion announced proudly and held his unsheathed sword before him. Coming to stand, Yami glared dangerously toward the human who bravely stood his ground.

"I'll admit, the night we spent together I don't believe she intended to take me as her lover, but after all of this is over I intend to ask her to be my wife. Whatever history you had with her in the past is over. Only _I_ can be there for _our_ child." The Human King seethed. In a blur of speed Yami lunged but with a sickening crack he smacked into a different being midair.

Seto fell atop the powerful vampire, smashing his shoulders into the rock below and his now golden eyes glared in downward.

"If you stand in my way I will merely go _through_ you!" Yami hissed dangerously, but his advance was again halted by the fully transformed werewolf's incredible strength. The vampire smirked.

"We both know you can't hold me here for long. You will always be inferior to me," Yami roared but Seto growled, again launching his powerful forearms against the man he pinned.

"And what do you think she will do?" Seto panted, his hold quickly fading. "When she hears that _you_ killed the _father_ of her _child_." He snarled and suddenly Yami stopped resisting. Perhaps for the first time ever, a flash of defeat came and quickly left from the King of Games' eyes. Paying Seto one last snarl, he disappeared into shadows as if he had never been there at all.

"What's going on?" Anzu came rushing into the cave, dropping the arm-load of supplies she carried. Dropping his transformation, Seto stood to regard her.

"Anzu," he spoke gruffly and flashed cold blue eyes on Endymion's. "Escort Endymion to the outside of the cave and make sure he gets there as quickly as possible." The Human King narrowed his eyes.

"I'm _not_ leaving!" He roared.

"Oh you had better," Seto growled. "You better leave and you better run as far and as fast as you can. Because as soon as Yami comes to his senses he's going to change his mind about not killing you and I won't be there to stop him again." Gritting his teeth, Endymion flashed a glance to Rei who was now sitting up appearing near hysterics as she stared in horror toward him. Wordlessly, he fell to Anzu's side and the two quickly began rushing to the cave's exit. Making a cursory glance of the surroundings, Seto turned his gaze upon Rei who looked up to him with tears welling in her eyes.

"Is it true?" He questioned harshly.

"I-I," Rei murmured, still positively in shock. "The timing…when the humans came to the Moon…it's about right. I don't remember exactly when the Princess was born." Seto sighed.

"Well, calm down. It's taken care of, they're already outside I can hear them." He reassured her, but she failed to hold her tears back any longer.

"I am despicable." She said between sobs. "I have betrayed my queen. I am more worthless than-"

"How?" Seto snapped, catching her eyes from where they stared hopelessly to the ground. "Because some disgusting vampire broke into your brain with his godless powers? You're not the one at fault. Do not forget who here is the monster." He growled.

She was caught off guard when the werewolf quickly scooped her smaller body into his arms. Moving to sit, he propped himself up against the wall and held her against him, carefully adjusting her injured leg so that it wouldn't be uncomfortable.

"I dumped all the leaves I had collected for bedding when I heard Yami speaking to you." He explained shifting his blue eyes down to her. "You'll have to make do with me, I guess," he said with a smirk earning a surprised blush from the fairy. "Rest for now, we'll see what we can do with your leg in a while."

* * *

Serenity drew in a deep breath as she took in the night air. Though her heart was heavy and anxious it felt good to be flying. Propelling herself through the skies by the power of her own wings was a temporary diversion.

Jou flew just beyond her with Mai in his arms. His wings appeared differentthan hers. Instead of resembling that of a sparkling butterfly's they were charged with pulsing and crackling electricity as they sliced through the atmosphere.

"And here I thought fairy wings were rather feminine." Mai commented looking up at him in utter awe. "You're just full surprises, Thunder God."

"Heh," Jou smirked. "You know, that name is really growing on me."

"Show me a good time and I can tell you some better ones." The woman said with a seductive wink.

"Eh, heh heh heh heh." The Fae Prince laughed nervously.

"Woo hoo!" Honda called out to them as he rode on Blue Eye's back. "I need to get me a pair of wings. This flying thing is kind of exhilarating!"

"Mai, are we close enough for you to give us further direction?" The huge dragon's voice boomed into the night.

"Yes, that estate down there in that clearing." She pointed.

"I see it!" Jou exclaimed, and zipped ahead with the others following.

Serenity felt a wave of apprehension wash over her as the large castle came into view. She prayed with all of her heart that the others hadn't suffered any casualties. Of course she was also anxious to see Yami. She was certain he'd be angry with her for not making it back to this location originally which is what had been planned. The fairy vowed to make sure he didn't take anything out on Mai, besides, with what she was planning on telling him he may very well forget about the entire incident entirely. There was much to discuss and many fine details to go over but most importantly, with all the ugliness and horror the past few days had brought to light there seemed to be one positive truth that was overwhelming all of her other concerns. She wore a small smile at the thought. At last, she was returning to the home she was born and the arms she wanted to be in. To stay.

"Blue Eyes!" Both Seto and Ra exclaimed simultaneously when the great blue dragon and the two fairies touched the ground.

"Oh Serenity," Ra sighed heavily when he spotted her. "Thank goodness, you all are alright? What happened? Weren't you supposed to come here immediately? And wherever did they find you, son?" He turned his smiling eyes upon the light skinned dragon that was just a tad larger than he.

"We ran into trouble with some elves," Honda commented darkly when he leapt to the ground. "If it wasn't for Blue Eyes we might not have gotten out of their alive."

"Elves?" Seto sneered toward Honda. "I should have known. We're way too close to their empire for them to not cause trouble." Serenity turned to Rei who was standing reclusively to herself and tears welled in her eyes.

"Rei!" She exclaimed and threw her arms around her. "Thank goodness you're alright!" Serenity frowned when the other stiffened within her embrace.

"Where's Hotaru?" Anzu asked and silence overcame the group. Ra hung his head and even Seto let his eyes briefly close upon understanding. Scanning her eyes over the rest of them, Serenity pulled back and looked into Rei's eyes that were swollen with emotion.

"Where is Endymion…Yami?" When she spoke the last name, Rei silently trembled.

"Endymion left." Seto spoke succinctly, "And the blood sucker? He's inside. I could detect that vile smell anywhere."

"He left? Is he…" Serenity asked, horror crossing her face.

"He's alive." The Werewolf King interjected, "He just couldn't handle the journey any longer. We can send word on the loss of his companion later."

"Come on," The rejuvenated Mai tugged on Jou's jacket. "Let's go inside." Jou nodded and followed the blonde toward the entrance when suddenly she paused and turned around to the group. "Everyone is welcome inside. The Gate keep is more than large enough for you dragons as well." Mai nodded cordially. Anzu snickered.

"What's up with Blondie, inviting wolves in her house? Did she hit her head or something?" She muttered toward Honda, who raised his hand in salute toward Mai.

"No thanks Mai, we werewolves prefer the outdoors. Rest up, alright?" He called out. Seto and Anzu looked toward him as if he had sprouted a third eye.

"There's a cave nearby that will be a fine residence for us for the night. That way we can help keep watch for any intruders." Ra bowed his head. Glaring at Mai, Seto turned on heel and started stalking away.

"Disgusting," he growled under his breath.

Turning after Jou and Mai, Serenity paused to notice that Rei wasn't following. She looked as if her feet were stuck to the ground, watching the werewolves and dragons walk off in the opposite direction.

"Is everything alright, Rei?" Serenity asked worriedly. The darker haired fairy turned toward her with apparent guilt plastered across her face.

"Queen Serenity," She heaved. "I-I'm so…sorry!" She blurted out and took off in the direction of the others. As she watched her run away she began to take a few steps after her but then stopped. She would speak with her, but the anxious knot in her belly was a reminder that she first owed Yami an explanation that had been put off for far too long.

Upon entrance of the deathly silent fortress, she immediately produced an orb of light in her palm to guide her through the pitch black hallways. Narrowing her scrutiny on the carelessly unlit lanterns hanging from the walls she frowned. Something was wrong, she was sure of it. Certainly Yami was furious she hadn't been there as he had ordered, but she would have expected that he would have at least come outside when he heard their arrival. In any other circumstance the man who claimed her to be the only being he had ever loved would have greeted her in an instant.

Having wandered aimlessly through the building she hadn't a clue on how to navigate, Serenity released an exasperated sigh. Her breath escaped in a thick fog and she paused to fold her chilled hands across her chest. The temperature within the castle was utterly arctic, far colder than it had been outside. Suddenly she felt it, a presence she'd know anywhere. Like a vortex, murky and swirling with spite, she could sense Yami's aura sucking away any trace of tranquility in its company as if it were draining a corpse. Determinedly moving forward, Serenity hugged herself tighter as the air became colder and thinner. It tasted stale like she was trapped in a long forgotten mausoleum.

When it seemed like the temperature couldn't possibly become any more subzero, she finally reached the palace's great hall containing a spanning table that could seat a royal feast for fifty or more. Entering through the massive doorway, she looked to the table that was aglow in the moonlight and covered with a thin sheet of ice. Throwing her glance to the end of the room she shivered upon spying Yami's silhouette. His back was to her where he was turned to the window, looking out toward the Moon that gifted only a little light into the castle's godforsaken darkness. Dropping the orb in her hand, she tried to speak to him but found that the words were trapped in her throat.

It was as if all the world's timepieces had been turned back a thousand years, where she was little more than a frightened fairy, untrained and untested, standing before a ruthless monster that could of desired to break her beneath his fingers, just to see how it would feel. There was no congeniality in the blackness that surrounded him; the feeling she had to come to understand as his own unique expression of his devotion for her. Even with all the promises to forever love and protect her, this man was still absolutely terrifying, but now wasn't the time to lose her resolve.

"Yami," Serenity spoke his name hoarsely. Several moments passed by with him neither flinching nor responding. Pursing her lips, the fairy let her hands fall from where they were tucked around her coal jacket and she traveled deeper into the hall.

"Hotaru," She choked, a few crystal tears escaping her eyes. "Hotaru is dead. I couldn't save her." He again had no response to her confession, hands lost deep into his pockets as he kept his attention firmly focused out the window. It was no surprise he could care less about the human girl, but he also appeared unmoved with the effect her death had had on Serenity. Stopping just a few feet away from him, she gritted her teeth despite the liquids flooding her cheeks.

"What is going on, Yami?" She demanded of him, sounding very much like the Queen she truly was. "Why are you behaving like this? Does this have something to do with why Endymion left? We are all under treaty to neither harm one another nor-" He cut her off with a throaty laugh and finally turned to face her. She froze under his eyes. Their color may have been that of red hot flames but they couldn't have appeared anymore icy. His mouth was pulled into a smirk but his hollow eyes betrayed the mirth that gesture should have conveyed.

"It really is amusing that you still think my subdued behavior has been governed by fear of defying a piece of parchment." He spoke evenly.

"Fear?" Serenity asked, her fury with his insolence overcoming her distress. "No, I always believed you acted in accordance with the words of the _promises_ you've made."

"Promises?" He repeated with a twitch of his lips, his smile never faltering. Serenity stood her ground as he sauntered closer to her, despite his steps seemingly everything but unthreatening.

"You should know," she continued, bravely keeping her blue orbs locked onto his polar opposites. "You've made plenty of them, especially to me."

"And which of those vows are you interested in me keeping?" His eyes fell half lidded as he watched her. "Even for a woman you're rather fickle, so you can understand how I can become confused." Immediately gaping at his insult she quickly snapped her lips shut and sucked in a sharp breath, but he didn't wait for her response.

"Your dear friend you spoke of, he's had all day and most of this night to make his way home." Yami's voice rang mockingly. "I do hope he's made it there safely." Serenity's skin chilled at the sinister tone of his words. "After all, humans: they tend to fall apart so _easily_." Serenity's eyes widened when he reached out to slide his fingers against the freezing skin of her cheek. His hand fell away when she took a step back from him; horrified accusation burning in her endless blues.

"Fairies do too, actually," he said with the beginnings of a sneer threatening his smile. "But I had always been so painstakingly careful with _you_."

"What did you do?" Serenity screeched, her hands balling into tighter fists and angry liquids once again threatening to spring from her eyes.

"What an awful accusation," Yami spoke, putting a hand to his chest in feigned hurt. "But don't fret Serenity; I didn't harm your little lover." His fake mirth faded fully into a snarl when her eyes flew open wide. "You really do have an odd taste though, how do you find him, the Human King? I'll admit that they can be interesting to bed, but be assured, whatever pleasure you derive from them won't last very long."

A sudden and loud whap sounded when Serenity's hand flew into the side of Yami's jaw. Drawing back the stinging appendage, the tiny fairy's eyes were narrowed and her chest heaved violently. Yami's eyes had closed upon the surprising impact, but when he opened them again they were blazing with a demonic and red glow.

"You know Serenity," his baritone words sounded quietly. He flashed his fangs to her in an ill-intending smile.

"I don't think anyone has ever struck me as you just have," he took a menacing step toward her. "And _lived_ to tell of it." His threatening aura was pressing against her, but the fire flowing in her veins commanded her lips and the sound of her voice.

"Is that what you want, Yami? To hurt me?" She uttered, her voice trembling in ire. Yami arched one side of his lip.

"It would be a lie to say that the thought hadn't crossed my mind." He whispered venomously. A small laugh barely escaped from where it was clogged in her throat.

"Oh you _poor_ thing, and to think you've restrained yourself all this time," She mocked him. "If hurting-killing me would make you feel _s_o much better…." She trailed, daring him with a glare. "Then maybe you should just _do it_."

The next thing Serenity felt was the backs of her shoulder blades crunching the ice beneath them. Gasping raggedly, the frigid air burned in her lungs but that sensation was quickly overwhelmed with a warmer one. Digging his fingers roughly into the back of her hair, Yami savagely thrust his mouth against hers. When she yelped he devoured it, capitalizing on the opportunity to deepen the kiss by probing his fiery tongue into the open cavern. Her lips stung from the pressure he exerted on them, but the mix of freezing and hot sensations enveloping her left her feeling exhilarated.

She didn't fight him when she felt his weight pin her helplessly to the surface the table. The warm curves of her body welcomed the attention from his solid one that felt searing in contrast to the biting numbness at her back. He pressed her heavily into the wood and she could hear the tiny pings and screams of the ice shattering beneath. She whimpered into his mouth and he growled, refusing to pull back even if all she wanted was a tiny breath of air. Serenity could taste the emotions on his tongue as if he were mouthing to her clear and coherent words.

_I love you…and I hate it._

When he finally released her swollen lips she breathed in sharply, with quick and labored breaths beneath him. His eyes were still ablaze and he snarled, a feral growl escaping his throat before he attacked her mouth again with lightning fast speed. She commanded her frozen arms around his neck and he responded by yanking her form viciously against him, knocking the air from her tortured lungs upon the sudden impact.

Serenity was lost in a dizzy haze, the sensations he induced in her were confusing. She wasn't sure if she wanted to scream down his throat or return this attention solely for the blissful feeling his mouth and touch left with against her body. She hadn't realized they had left the room until her back connected with a pliant surface that embraced her in a sea of rapturous linens.

She no longer cared if this was real. Perhaps this was only an illusion and he was actually greedily draining every last drop of her blood. It was worthless without him anyway, every other sensation for the past thousand years seemed like a fake attempt at a feeling when she compared it to this. The sound of her own voice rang in her ears. He had left her mouth to bring his kisses to her neck and any other patch of flesh he could reach, shredding away any fabric without care if it was in his way.

"Yami!" His name was electric on her lips. Suddenly he stopped his movements, and hovered over her panting. The glow in his eyes subsided and she could barely make out the outline of his face in the absolute black of the room.

"If this is your idea of being hurtful…then I think I should be jealous." Her voice cracked through her labored breaths. He brought a hand to her face, and leaned in close enough for their foreheads to touch.

"You could abuse; torture me all you'd like, Serenity," his velveteen voice crept past her ears. "And I still couldn't _ever_ bring you harm." Her eyes began to water and she moved her smaller hand to cover his resting against her face.

"Yami, I-"

"There is only one thing I'm going to make clear to you before we go down this road again any further." He interrupted, reclaiming his hands to firmly pin hers to the surface of the bed. "Right now, from this point forward, for however long forever should be..._you are mine_."

"Oh Yami…" She spoke softly, smiling to him beneath his hold. "I've always been yours." With a brief smirk he dipped his head toward her and kissed her thoroughly.

* * *

Thanks again to **Dustfinger's Cheering Section** for beta-ing this chapter!

And thank you to everyone who reviewed: **Dustfinger's Cheering Section, Sesshy's Mistress, MichiUsa, Serena-hime, Saris Yui, Krissy, Sakura Waldorf, Cosmic-lover, Eloyse, lily2011, SailorVMoon1311815, Vee, RoseMouto2010, Rach,** **a1m9a8n8da**, and **Cataleya001200**!

So…some of you are probably thinking _all of my questions still aren't answered!_ So you'll be happy to know I'm pretty sure any confusions will be cleared up in the next chapter! I'm thinking there are only ~2 left for this story so if this seemed dramatic we're quickly reaching the conclusion of this marathon of a fanfiction!

Oh and to clear some things up that **Dustfinger** pointed out to me (it's nice to get a dif perspective besides my own brain!) If it seemed odd that Rei didn't warn or tell Serenity what happened beforehand it was because she was horribly embarrassed and generally mortified that Yami found out her secret because of her. I tried to illustrate that but I thought I'd point it out just in case. And if you thought it was weird that everything in the room with Yami was frozen it was playing on his ability to control his dark aura, and it was really prevalent (cold, devoid…) because he was REAL pissed off!

Ok, watch out for updates soon! If you want me to update quick…review!

~El3


	17. Guilty

The Ostiary

El3v3n

**All characters belong to their respective owners.**

Guilty

"_Are you feeling any better?"_

_Turning toward the voice of her elder cousin, Serenity hadn't the energy to force even the slightest of polite smiles. But her frown hardly dampened the other woman's enthusiasm._

"_I told you it was all going to be fine," Mina smiled as she leaned against the balcony's railing. "Actually, it's more than fine. You saw the counselor's face when he first laid eyes on you. He's beyond excited to break the news to everyone and they'll all be overjoyed," she reassured pointedly; not catching Serenity's eyes that remained glued to the sunset. "When he left, he was already babbling to the others, assuredly planning a ball to welcome her – it is a she, right? Can you tell yet?"_

"_I think that's what bothers me the most." Serenity responded softly, finally returning Mina's quizzical look. "No one seems to be concerned, not even a scandalous whisper has been uttered concerning the state of their very pregnant and very __**unwed**__ queen." Dropping her eyes away, she let her fingers glide across the white fabric concealing the firm roundness at her middle that was growing larger every day._

"_That's because it hardly matters, Serenity," Mina spoke, commanding the other's gaze with her own. "Whether you've realized it or not, everyone here loves and respects you. They'll trust any decision you make, blindly. And certainly when it comes to choosing a man noble enough to father your child."_

"_Mina," Serenity's voice cracked as she gripped the banister. _

"_I wasn't prying," she added, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. But Serenity didn't relax. Her shoulders tensed and began to tremble beneath the other's touch. _

"_Serenity…" Mina trailed, watching the moisture gather at the base of her crystalline blues. "What's going on?"_

"_I-" she hesitated, biting her lip before letting her eyes fall once again to the breadth of her abdomen. The feeling welling inside of her was achingly familiar, like an addiction she just couldn't shake. Racing around her veins it was both exhilarating and comforting, a sensation like no other drug or pleasure could compare. Letting her eyes flutter closed for a moment, she licked her lips before turning to greet her bewildered cousin once more._

"_Mina," she spoke carefully, "How would you define…noble?"_

* * *

Serenity woke herself with a breathy sigh. She had no idea how long she'd been asleep, or when exactly slumber had claimed her exhausted body. Even still, every inch of her pulsed with pleasant ache; an echo of what had occurred the night before. A night spent with her once estranged lover had been more electrifying and fulfilling than she could have ever thought possible, even in her most vivid fantasies.

Curling into the sateen sheets she noticed immediately a second warm and inviting body was nowhere to be found. Snapping open her eyes she was greeted by pitch darkness. She sat up quickly, clutching the covers to conceal her lack of clothing. Her silken blonde locks tumbled freely over her shoulders, long having been freed from its formal style. Almost immediately, the smell of rubbed flint and a tiny flame appeared a few feet away from the bed.

Focusing her eyes to adjust to the dim light, she immediately blushed upon spying what was left of her shredded clothing on the floor. Looking forward still, she saw the dark form of Yami reclined in a chair at a desk with a large piece of parchment rolled out before him. The shadows concealed his face from her vision, but the flickering light danced across the chiseled torso beneath his shirt that had been left lazily unfastened.

With a creak, he leaned forward and Serenity felt like melting upon catching the softness in his gaze. After all, an expression sans a smirk or snarl on the vampire's face was a rare occurrence indeed.

"The sun will set soon." He finally broke their silence, looking toward the parchment briefly before focusing on her half-lidded blues. "And the map has yet to give any further instruction." He finished with a rasp in his voice.

The map. The mission. _Zorc_.

The fairy felt her shoulders immediately slump when the thoughts registered. She smiled wryly when his expression remained serious. He was always mindful of the task at hand, especially when it came to something so earnest. It was rather impressive considering all the other distractions being waved before him, her wearing nothing but a bed sheet being a large one. If it had been up to her, she'd have forgotten about the rest of the world and just stayed in this room with him forever.

"How much more time?" She asked quietly without thought. "Until the sun sets?

Arching an inquisitive brow he suddenly smirked and casually made his way back to the bed. She watched the change in his eyes as he approached, from a loving gaze to a torrent red, glowing hazily with desire and lust. When he sat beside her she immediately reached out to touch him, his hardened abdomen sizzling with heat beneath her fingertips. With a low growl he pulled her into him, securing her in his solid hold as he kissed her, surprisingly gentle in his sudden attack.

She breathed heavily when he pulled backward. Her skin throbbed against the thin strip of material separating their flesh from meeting as it had just hours before. Pressing his forehead into hers she could feel the corners of his mouth pull into a grin.

"Time?" He uttered throatily. "Enough."

* * *

Sometime later, Serenity was pulling on a pair of boots over her trousers as Yami watched on, looking somewhat disappointed as he dressed himself also. Clearly, Serenity wasn't the only one who would have preferred to stay in bed longer than the day's length allowed.

"Why would the map be blank?" Serenity asked, collapsing into the desk chair. The vampire leaned against the table's surface as he straightened his collar and the cuffs of his sleeves.

"It doesn't make any sense," she continued, knitting her brows together in thought, "last time when the final task was completed the portal to Babylonia just opened. But how can there be another task if there isn't another clue? You all…the dragons…they're…?" Serenity winced upon the thought.

"Yes." Yami answered curtly, looking to her over his shoulder as he fastened the buttons at the front of his shirt. "Perhaps there being no instruction is the clue in itself." He spoke thoughtfully. When she made a face he flashed his fangs in a grin and leaned over the desk so he was hovering just before her.

"You remember the tasks from a thousand years before? They had a certain pattern or rather, a relationship to each other." The Fae Queen wrinkled her nose toward the grinning vampire.

"Not that I recall." She responded.

"The ancient warriors who created the hidden city and masked it with a powerful spell, they had come from lands and races all over the planet but lived by a common creed."

"And I'm guessing you know that creed?" Smirking amusedly, the vampire nodded to an opened book that sat to her right. Flicking her eyes over the page, Serenity quickly wet her lips.

"May a lost warrior find haven in the sacred lands," She read the words aloud, "if he wields his weapon with courage, serves his sovereign with both loyalty and love, is willing to sacrifice life or limb for his purpose, and walks a noble path, following truth as his virtue." Pausing for a moment to think, she looked back quickly toward Yami's glittering red hues.

"The axe – the weapon?" She suggested and he nodded. "And being presented with the Idol's eye?" Serenity asked with a raised brow. "That's a bit of a stretch for serving one's sovereign." Yami revealed a strained snarl upon the unpleasant memory of she agreeing to marry another, and Serenity quickly moved to the next line without argument. "The dragons…Hotaru…sacrifice of life." She spoke grimly.

"Yes." Yami affirmed. Looking over the final line of the text, it hit her differently after reading it for the second time.

For a moment she paused to think about their tumultuous adventure. In truth, as individuals, she, Yami, and the others wouldn't be considered as ones strong and virtuous enough to enter Babylonia. Only as a group had they completed the map's tasks, fulfilling the creed's definition of a true warrior.

There was something in that last line - the few words haunting and making her feel icy all over. A few years ago she had asked Minako what truly made a person noble and according to the warriors of old it meant living life by seeking and embodying _truth_.

Serenity had lived her life trying her best to live by the virtue of the Fae, those around her believing from the bottom of their hearts that she was truly the most gracious, good, and divine being of their kind. How ironic was it now, that out of all of their group, some of them being creatures guilty of unspeakable atrocities, the only one who was _guilty_ of spending years weaving a web of deceit to protect her own lies…was her. Looking again to Yami, who gazed upon her calmly, she felt her throat run dry.

"Yami," she barely vocalized, summoning the courage to tell him what she should have a long time ago. "There's something I need to-"

"I hardly think that's what the map requires." He interrupted in a deep but gentle tone. "Confessions from the pure and virtuous Moon Queen should hardly satisfy this task." Serenity searched his face for sarcasm but found none.

"But, those things…" her hands began to tremble. "I-I'm not any of them. Yami, when-" her words were cutoff when she felt the vampire's large hand grasp both of hers within.

"Stop." He ordered firmly, his eyes sharp on hers. "You don't have to say it aloud. Besides," the apple of his throat bobbed. "I already know." He finished lowly. Feeling a quick surge of shock rush her spine, she immediately remembered his scathing accusation from the previous night.

"Yami," she continued shakily. "Endy-" she paused when a growl escaped his chest. "I did." She finally confessed, looking away from him. "When he came to the Moon we danced and I allowed him to kiss me but that was the end of it. And if it makes you feel any better all it did was make me feel absolutely miserable," she paused for a deep breath, "because all I could think about was how he wasn't you." When she turned to look back at him, she frowned deeply upon seeing his head dipped near the desk and chuckling dark and quietly.

"Serenity," he uttered, lifting his deep red hues to meet hers. But he didn't appear angry, in fact, she would have preferred that. Instead he appeared wholly dejected much to her own heartache.

"The specifics behind fae reproduction may be a bit hazy to me," he began carefully, "But I do believe much more than a simple kiss is required to produce a child." At the final word Serenity's face drained completely of its color. The room was starting to become hazy when she realized what he seemingly had discovered without her confession. Snapping out of her trance, she gave in to her body's urge to pull away from his touch. But the moment the sinews and tendons in her arms flexed she was engulfed by a larger form and held forcibly against its solid heat.

"Don't." Yami ordered sternly, his arms locked around her tiny frame. He had pulled her to her feet, but she was standing only on his accord. Her legs wobbled and trembled, but any sort of wiggling or an attempt of escape would have been futile. With a heavy sigh, his tight embrace relaxed. Gasping,her body fell forward, right into straddling the lap of the man who had taken her with him when he pulled them down to the chair below. Serenity stared at him with horrified wide eyes. He averted his attention to the right, his hands securely clamped to the sides of her waist. After a few moments of silence he finally slid his gaze back to her stunned one.

"I understand why you would, given everything that you know of me-" he paused to sigh again.

"Yami!" Serenity interrupted urgently, only to be silenced by a long finger gently pressed to her lips.

"I understand…why you would feel the need to lie about this." He continued, surprisingly calm. "But, Serenity…" he spoke imploringly, drifting his fingers along her mouth to stop and cup her cheek that was flushed with heat. "I'm trying not to be insulted by how lowly you must think of me, to think you would suspect I'd find a child - a daughter from _you _anything but…amazing is absurd." Serenity's diaphragm fluttered, and she held back hiccups upon his words and placid gaze. He looked down thoughtfully for a moment, smiling before again greeting her watery eyes.

"I've never once seen her, other than the flash of a hazy memory, and yet I already know," he grinned, "She is surely, the most beautiful and perfect child that's ever been - just by being yours." A sharp cry escaped Serenity's lungs followed by a thin stream of hot tears.

"She is," she spoke without breath. Wordlessly, the vampire pulled the emotional woman against him. She grasped onto the fabric of his shirt, overwhelmed by his nostalgic scent and the parade of scattered thoughts trampling through her mind.

"Come back to this world, Serenity," Yami whispered, tightening his hug around her back. "She deserves better than a false Utopia. I will protect you…the both of you." He reassured her.

"I know she does," Serenity sobbed into the crook of his neck and shoulder, quietly while regaining her composure. After a few minutes he allowed her to sit away from him, and watched her as she elegantly wiped the treacherous tears from her eyes.

"I would," his lips fell to a frown. "Prefer it…if her father was near you, _the both of you,_" he muttered the last words under his breath, "as little as possible…" he trailed, miraculously containing his obvious hate for Endymion within a tidy downturn of his mouth. Serenity's eyes widened and she stiffened in his hold.

"But if you insist he play a role in her life, then I will tolerate it," he growled, an uncanny surrender in his voice. "However," he continued, his gaze cooling seriously upon her. Serenity's eyes were as wide as saucers, her jaw nearly reaching for the floor.

"Endymion would do well to get any warm and fuzzy feelings of you, and _any _thought of touching you out of his mind or I swear I'll-" he groaned on watching the growing horror taking over her face. "You are _mine_." He reiterated his peculiar form of endearment as he had so many times before.

"Yami…" His name drifted breathily off her lips as she tightened the grip on the front of his shirt. He rolled his eyes.

"I promise I won't kill him, but only for…Rini's sake." He paused to ponder the foreign name on his tongue. "That's short for Serenity, isn't it?" The vampire tilted his head to one side curiously. "Is Rini what she…prefers to be called?" In any other circumstance, she might have giggled at his uncharacteristic wonder and cluelessness, but in their current state there were no laughs to be had.

"Yami!" She demanded his attention, digging her fingers into the muscle of his chest. "Endymion is _not_ Rini's father!" She screwed her eyes shut and devoured her breath.

"_You are_." When Serenity finally gathered the courage to observe his reaction, his red orbs were as wide as she'd ever seen them.

"Ser-enity," he began cautiously as if he were speaking to a person who'd gone mad. "There are several reasons as to why-"

"Oh, Gods," she attempted to back away, only to be stalled in his iron hold. "Y-you think I'm crazy! You don't believe me!"

"No, I don't think you are-" Yami said through grit teeth as he struggled to still the hysterical woman in his grasp. "But as much as I desire what you claim to be true. We both know - that reality is _impossible_." Halting in her efforts to get away from him, she narrowed her eyes and glared upon him in a manner that could grow icicles on fire.

"Impossible?" She repeated coldly. "That's funny coming from you, the same man who claims that _the rules are never what they seem_."

"Serenity!" He protested, but her determination didn't yield.

"If you can't trust my word, then why don't you do what you've always done in the past?" She suggested with a frown. "I've known since before she was born that she was yours, but search my memory if you have your doubts."

He said something else, but she didn't hear him. For the first time since being on Earth she allowed the shields to fully drop from her diligently guarded mind. Fully aware of his ability, she felt the tendrils of icy shadows wrap around her consciousness. The cold and dark were supposed to inspire fear and unpleasant feelings, but in the company of this man, they were like a forbidden indulgence.

* * *

_With dappled pink cheeks, Serenity pulled away from the lips that greeted hers so gently. The near stranger they belonged to gazed down to her beneath his heavy lashes. His entire presence exuded that of pure idolatry for the tiny woman before him. He was warm and kind in all the ways a good man should be. And in the flash of a moment she knew he'd love her completely until his dying day, which would be tragically instantaneous compared to the eternal life she'd been granted. _

_But as pleasant as his touch may have been, everything that had been missing from it left a stringent and uncomfortable tightness in her chest. It felt just like an old wound that had been torn open again, singeing and then burning furiously at its ragged edges. When the Human King reached out to caress her cheek with the tips of his fingers she couldn't breathe. _

"_Serenity…" he spoke her name longingly, dipping for her mouth once more. But on impulse alone, the small Queen jerked backward and away from his hand._

"_King Endymion," she somehow managed from her choked lungs. "I'm sorry, but at this hour I must-" she dared not look directly into his eyes. "Good night, and thank you for the dance." Turning on heel she began walking swiftly – nearly running from the private balcony._

"_Wait!" Endymion called after her, but she disappeared into the darkened hallways of the Moon's palace. Ducking into the first empty room she happened upon, she shut the door behind her and sucked in a deep breath of precious air. Away from prying eyes and the image of the statuesque royal she was supposed to be, she did what she hadn't in a very long time. _

_The lengths of her silver ball gown pooled into an ocean of fabric around her after she had slid to the floor. Tears trailed her cheeks and she cried into the palm of her hand, muffling the tormented sounds. She could only imagine the uproar if someone were to hear her sobs, it may not have been law but it was part of her curse, queens weren't allowed to cry._

_She wasn't allowed to be weak. Not when an entire race, no matter how small, depended on her completely. And for what were these tears warranted? A man she hadn't seen, smelled, or touched in a thousand years?_

_Her presence had been merely a blip in his life, the man – the monster who had roamed the Earth for thousands of years before she'd ever been born. And yet, to a person she'd meant so little to in the end. He had, in just a short few months, changed her whole world._

_As the years ticked by one by one into tens and then hundreds, the pain of his absence had become a dull ache. She'd banished his name from her thoughts and mouth, even now, she'd dare not think of it. But every night, no matter how distracted or how happy the diversion, she'd see him in her consciousness and dreams. Her sad state of being, even subconsciously holding on desperately to the hope that the world would change for her and fate would allow her to be in his arms again. _

_How much more pathetic could she get? She'd crumbled into a heap of tears after just another's kindly and innocent attention. Sighing heavily she wiped at her stained face. It was, after all, the first time another had kissed her after…_

_Shaking her head vehemently she stood up as tall as she could possibly be on her heels. She'd have get through this, forever was a long time to live in misery. There were so many others who depended on her, the fae, her brother even in his adult age, and of course…_

"_Rini!" Serenity exclaimed with widened eyes. Rushing to the window she took in how high the Earth had risen in the black night sky. The ball held in honor for Endymion had commanded the majority of her evening, and though her infant child had nursemaids to care for her in her absence, she always put her to bed every night._

_Though she was long asleep by now, Serenity made her way through the hallways toward the baby's room. There were so many nights the Queen had forfeited sleep just to be by the Princess's side. She felt whole with the girl in her arms, or content to just watch her sleep peacefully in the light of the Earth. _

_But as she neared the room just a few doors down from her own, an unsettling feeling began brewing within. Something about the aura surrounding the girl's room seemed…off and without hesitation, the fairy began to rush toward the entrance, uncaring of the loud racket her clacking shoes created. Throwing open the double doors, Serenity's heart lurched when she saw a large dark figure hovering over the infant's crib._

"_No!" She screeched and with a speed she hadn't thought she possessed, she rushed at the intruder only to nearly trip over him when he collapsed to the floor with a gurgling sound. His fall sent the smell of poison into the air, its sudden presence sending the fairy doubling over in pain. _

_Iron._

_Her blue eyes widened upon the man who lie on the ground. She immediately identified him as one of Endymion's council, a human man with long brown hair splayed on the floor. Serenity grew cold, her heartbeat dolefully sluggish when she looked on the splatters of red pouring from a vicious and gaping wound from his neck._

_A happy giggle caught the horrified woman's ears, and with a jerk she peered into the crib. Her heart stopped completely upon seeing her beautiful and month old daughter…covered in blood. _

_The Princess laughed and cooed reaching her tiny, crimson stained hands up for the person she loved the most. Moving her body mechanically, Serenity took her child into her arms. Zombie-like in her motions she grabbed the train of her dress and began soaking the sickening red from joyful infant's face. _

"_No." Her voice and hands trembled. "No," she repeated over and over in utter panic. Her breath quickened and she became woozy on her feet, the horrid smell of iron saturating every inch of air around her. _

_There was so much blood…__**blood**__…everywhere._

_A rustling sound caught her ears beyond the child's pleas for her mother's attention. Looking back down to the ground, Serenity nearly fell backward when the man began to move. His wound was flooding onto the barely lit floor as his body commenced convulsing in shock to the loss of blood. Shifting Rini to her hip she approached quickly, extending her hand. He was still alive. She could still save him and protect her daughter from being a murderer before she could even walk, speak or have memory of the event. Focusing on her power, suddenly, her extended hand began to shake._

_If she healed him…if he lived…_

_He would know – everyone would know the Fairy Princess, her baby girl…_

_She could not allow him to die, when she had the power to heal him. Even a human's life, no matter how short it might be, was as sacred as her own. But if everyone were to know – find out about Rini – about what she was…_

_What would they do?_

_The room's gravity became crushing, and Serenity began to sob on her continued hesitation. At the sound of her mother's lament, the pink-haired infant also began to cry._

"_No-no-no, Rini," Serenity turned to her child, trying her best to tune out the struggled gasps of air from the man on the ground. "Please, don't-" she whimpered, and the baby quieted as she stared toward her mother with large and loving crimson colored eyes. _

_Without warning, Serenity's thoughts clouded darkly in a different direction. Did this man truly deserve to live? What he had been doing…what had he intended on doing to her child?_

_Gently settling the protesting infant back into her crib she approached the fallen man, and heard her heart race in her ears upon spotting the sword at his hip. _

"_Help me…" the human moaned through the gaping hole in his throat. The sound of his plea halted her breathing, like a noose around her neck. She wasn't a monster like him, like a vampire, a dragon, or even a wolf, but what choice did she have in protecting a secret that she absolutely had to protect? Protecting the innocence of a child who'd just barely begun to live?_

_A few moments later, Mina came busting through the doorway, panting in an un-ladylike manner in her floor length ball gown. She covered her mouth, as the smell of iron was so strong it could have induced most fairies to vomit. Her light eyes widened in horror when she saw the human lying still on the floor, his long silver sword standing upright and stuck straight into his heart. The Moon's queen stood turned away from him, still desperately trying to wipe the blood away from the child in her arms._

"_Serenity!" Mina exclaimed, earning the other's hollow and terrified eyes. "The smell-" she began but paused in her speech. Instead she leapt forward, and drew the blood-coated sword away from the dead's chest. _

_Serenity tried to speak to her, but found she hadn't a voice. The two locked eyes for only a moment, just before a throng of Palace guards charged the doorway, many losing the contents of their stomachs upon immediate entrance. Stepping in front of Serenity, who quickly turned away from them with child in arms, Mina looked to them calmly._

"_This person attacked our sovereign when she entered the nursery," She lied perfectly, the blade hanging loosely in her hand. "And I did what was necessary - to stop him."_

_And Serenity said nothing, allowing her cousin to accept the guilt – the shame that would follow her for eternity. And the memory of that dreadful feeling… the sound – the emptiness of taking another's life away replayed over and over and over within her mind._

* * *

Serenity stared blankly into Yami's crimson hues, and the positively stunned expression dressing his features.

"You know what's…the worst thing of all?" Serenity finally broke the silence between them. The vampire woke from his stupor and narrowed his eyes.

"If you're about to say something ill of yourself, I don't want to hear it nor will I believe it!" He snapped with a barbed snarl. Before she could speak again he yanked her body against him, nearly crushing the breath out of her against his solid chest.

"If I had to do it again, t-that terrible thing," she couldn't bring herself to say it. "I would, if it would protect her."

"Serenity…" Yami spoke her name, cursing something she didn't understand under his breath. "I promise you," he spoke lowly, in a tone she knew she could believe. "You won't ever have to…I'll be sure of _that_."

Suddenly, a loud noise erupted from outside the manor, followed by the sounds of arguing voices. Sharing a glance, Serenity sprang from his lap and the two rushed into the hallway and toward the second story window. Before their eyes at the edge of the forest's edge was a large and glowing chasm slicing the normal space around it in two.

"Hey! Is that how we get to Babylonia? This thing just appeared from thin air!" Serenity heard her brother's voice ring through the glass pane.

"What do you think…dumbass?" Seto roared angrily, the entirety of their group becoming visible as they approached the phenomenon. Serenity turned away from the window when she felt a squeeze on her hand. She blinked upon catching the seriousness in the vampire's stringent red eyes.

"You are to focus on the state of Zorc's imprisonment …you needn't concern yourself with anything else." He ordered her with a frown.

"Does it really make any difference? My sword cuts just like all the rest of them." She held back a sarcastic laugh. "Whether it's the life of one or a million…those like you and I, are the same."

"You're wrong." He smirked upon her. "You've somehow become that much more perfect in my eyes." His surprising praise caused her face to fall. "You're not a monster, Serenity," he said as he led her from the small of her back toward the stairwell. "And you should trust that a person like me would know the difference…"

* * *

Special thanks to **Dustfinger's cheering section **for being the beta reader for this chapter!

Firstly, thank you to: **Serena-hime, Eloyse, SailorVMoon1311815, Sakura Waldorf, RoseMouto2010, Dustfinger's cheering section, mian-mian, dudalalala, MichiUsa, Krissy, Guest, Cosmic-lover, kat, In The Foreshadow, Cataleya001200, Saris Yui, Sesshy's Mistress, YellowWomanontheBrink, a1m9a8n8da, anonymous comment fairy, Guest, **and **SailorSapphire917 **for reviewing the last chapter!

So…clearly…I suck. Haha. Seriously though, I've been super busy and I really just needed to hunker down and write this chapter and I finally found the time to do it! I had planned on taking this further but in interest of not posting a gigantor chapter (like gigantor compared to the usual 20 something pages, sometimes planning things in my head goes on a looooot further than it actually does in writing) this was the stopping point. I *think* there will be only 2 more chapters after this, but no promises! But we are very quickly approaching a conclusion here, as you can see with this plot development many of you suspected in the first place!

Hopefully some of it still surprised some of you, but as it turns out, I'm not that great with suspense! If you still have questions go ahead and ask them, but I'm hoping to have them all answered by the end of this story (and not via PMs!)

Thank you so much for reading…please **review **if you did read! Re-reading your reviews (and some of your PMs and messages) inspired me to really get my butt going on this chapter.

Thanks!

~El3


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